A Turn For The Dangerous
by JerichoholicAnonymous
Summary: They've always had each other's backs. Except, they don't know how they feel about the other...until it hits them. What if their paths lead them to new, unvisited territory? SLASH. Candy.
1. Chapter 1

_So, this is my first ever story. I'm quite nervous to be publishing it to be honest, because I have no idea how people are going to like it. I've been reading fanfic for a while now and I've been tempted to write some. So, I gave it a try! I hope you guys like it and please review, even if it's to critique! Any sort of opinion is welcomed. Enjoy reading!_

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Their journey started as teenagers. Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes met backstage while their fathers were in the ring performing. Their fathers' noticeable absences were a common point from which endless conversation ensued. Their lives' stories were poured out to one another. Over the years, they had kept in touch, sometimes running into each other. But their friendship blossomed in rapid rates when Cody got called up to the main roster.

Randy took Cody under his wing. He warned him from the dangers of this business, passed on his knowledge and never backed down from critiquing his matches to help him grow as a wrestler and entertainer. On the other hand, Cody had become his confidant. He never failed to be there for Randy. Whenever the latter had a problem or something to get off his chest, he wouldn't go to Ted, he wouldn't go to John, he wouldn't even go to his wife – he would go to Cody. They both understood each other. They didn't need words to express that, they just knew it.

Randy wasn't one to show much emotion, if any, and he wouldn't exactly warm up a room with love and joy. In fact, "cold as ice" is how he mostly was described. Cody was very much aware of that. They both were. But Cody never got to confront this side of Randy.

That bond of theirs got tighter during the Legacy days, but fast forward to today in 2012, and they are still as close as ever.

Cody has had best friends over the years. Ted DiBiase is one of them, for example. But for some reason he didn't quite fathom, what he felt for them wasn't what he felt for Randy. It was different. He is there for his friends whenever he can be. But with Randy, he would go to hell and back if it meant being his back bone, his support system. He just didn't get why it was so different. Why Randy was so different.

Why did he care so deeply about him? Why did he sigh whenever he'd excuse himself from the room to talk to his wife on the phone? Why did he feel a pang in his chest whenever he saw Randy laughing away with her at a gathering? Why did he feel like smiling whenever Randy would complain about his issues with her?

That confusion often ate away at Cody. At one point, it was all he can he could think about. For a while there, he almost convinced himself it was because he admired him so much. He thought idolatry had everything to do with this. But Cody definitely isn't one to fool to himself. He knew that wasn't it. So he set aside that theory and came to a much more rational conclusion (after days, weeks and months of thinking about it). The fact that Randy had basically chosen him to be his go-to companion created this sense of protectiveness towards him. He still had his doubts, but, he would settle for that reasoning.

What he didn't know was that this confusion mirrored Randy's…

He didn't know what that kid had over him. He truly didn't. Admittedly, Randy was one tormented by his own thoughts. They take on a life of their own and drag him to this weird place he just couldn't get out of at times. Sometimes, he felt like his Voices gimmick was well and truly a reality. It also didn't help matters that growing up, he didn't trust anyone. His experience in the military only aggravated that. He saw people as just vile, hypocritical robots walking on two legs. The wrestling business was the epitome of that. People would rather spend more time gossiping than training. Nothing and no one was genuine. Randy would rather sit and rot alone in a dark corner than ever socializing with his colleagues. Ted DiBiase and John Cena were sort of exceptions to that rule. He was cool with them, but that was about it.

He tried turning to his wife when help was needed. But all she seemed to do was submerge him into a deeper sea of thoughts. Dark ones, at that. So, he just stopped. He was no masochist and certainly didn't need the headache.

He keeps all of his thoughts bottled up inside. They almost overcome him, threaten to crush him…until Cody shows up. He just has this ability to erase them, make them vanish into thin air. It's as if he was the perfect antidote to these "voices". He just knows the right things to do at the right time. What confused Randy even more was that, sometimes, Cody didn't even need to utter words to make him feel better. Sometimes, it'd take just a touch of his' on his shoulder. Sometimes it was just his presence…

That train of thoughts popped up in his head quite a lot. It takes him to another world. Another world that wasn't so bad. Thinking of Cody wasn't bad.

They consume the other's brain more times than they don't.

Their mutual understanding is one that surpassed one between two friends or two brothers. They knew that much, albeit never saying out loud. They don't comprehend much when it comes to their bond or its nature. But that puzzlement never comes into play when they're in each other's presences, though. They are just so easy-going when they're together. Everything comes so naturally. Conversation is fluid and awkwardness never rears its ugly head. Getting bored of the other is most likely impossible.

They really do just go with the flow, no questions asked. It was like driving a car with no brakes. They didn't know where the road might take them…


	2. Chapter 2

_I haven't been able to stop writing for this fic. I might as well not stop now, and I couldn't wait to post this chapter. Still nervous about this story! Please enjoy and review. :)_

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Cody found out about the news through his Twitter. He could've sworn he saw red. That's how angry he was. He didn't care that he was in his pajama shorts – he picked out a random hoodie from his bag on the floor, put on his shoes, took the key card to Randy's room and headed out. Randy always gave Cody a key to his room. It had been a habit of theirs for years now, so it came naturally.

He didn't alert Randy that he'd be coming over. Not that he needed to, or anything. He stormed into his room. Randy was sitting on the edge of his bed, fiddling with his phone. He had been expecting Cody to barge in at any minute. He knew exactly why he was here. The younger of the two kept pacing around the room. He was livid. Suddenly, he stopped right in front of Randy. The tattooed man knew what was about to start…

"When were you planning on telling me, huh?!" Cody shouted. "I had to find out from fucking Twitter! How? What happened?!"

"I got suspended, Cody." Randy calmly replied.

"No shit?" Cody retorted angrily. "How could you be so foolish? How could you jeopardize your career this badly? I don't get it… I thought you were doing just fine, that you didn't that shit to help you out anymore… You said your drug days were far behind you!" Randy knew better than to interrupt Cody's ongoing rant. He just let him get everything off of his chest before even attempting to explain things.

"You know you don't need drugs, right? They aren't going to solve anything. There are better things to rely on…I mean, I know you've been having a hard time lately, with your wife and all, but…I'm here for you! For anything! Have you felt that you couldn't come to me to talk about stuff? Cause you can call me up at any time, you know! Randy, please, you need to stop this right away, okay?" Cody was out of breath by the time he finished his tirade.

They looked at each other for a good amount of seconds before Randy decided to answer back. "Are you finished now?" Before Cody could even utter a word, Randy continued. "Good. Cody, I'm not doing drugs again."

"Then why did you get suspended?" Cody answered, arms crossed, still irritated.

"Well, you know how I've started a new training regimen, right? It included taking a new supplement that I had never used before. It worked out pretty well. I started noticing nice changes with my body so I decided to continue with it. The problem is, I didn't know exactly what was in it and I wasn't careful with the amount that I was taking in. I took too much and I tested positive in the wellness test. So no, I'm not back on drugs. You know me better than to assume that, Cody." Randy explained.

Cody knew Randy wasn't lying. His fury was fading. Compassion was slowly taking over.

"I know that, okay? I…I just couldn't get my head around it…I guess I was just really worried that you had fallen off the wagon..." Cody said as he sat down on the edge of the bed beside Randy.

"I know. But you need to know that there is no way I'm going back to that place again. You need to trust me on that. I'm not the man I was 6 years ago. I'm not as reckless. I'm not as immature. I have a family that I need to support, that I need to take care of, now. Yes, things have been tough for me lately, but I'm handling them. And it's mostly thanks to you. You've been awfully good to me, Cody. You have nothing to do with any of this."

They kept looking at each other. Maybe for a minute too long, but they were both too upset to even notice it. Cody eventually turned his head, running his hands over his face. Randy didn't take his eyes off of him, though.

"You need to be more careful going forward, okay?" Cody quietly said, with his head still in his hands.

"Don't worry about it…lesson learnt, definitely."

Cody turned his attention back to the taller man and attempted to lighten up the somber mood that had invaded the room. "Who can I piss off when I'm bored, now? What am I supposed to do for the next 2 months now that you won't be here?"

"Think of it as a gift, you'll have a hell of a lot more time to jack off now." At that reply, Cody let out a genuine chuckle, the first one of the night for him. "Bastard."

The next morning, Randy and Cody headed for the airport together. The Smackdown roster had the weekend off, which meant that the both of them would go home. Cody's flight to Atlanta was after Randy's, but he insisted he'd drive them to the airport. He didn't mind waiting a couple of hours. They stayed silent during most of the ride. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence, though. They joked here and there but truthfully, it was just a bad day for both them. They knew how they both felt about Randy's suspension, so they didn't feel the need to turn those feelings into words. That is until…

"I'm going to miss you, you know that?" Cody couldn't control the words coming out of his mouth even if he tried. For a reason he didn't quite understand, he felt nervous as soon as he uttered them. Heart-beating-frantically nervous. He knew Randy wasn't a fan of spoken affectionate sentiments. He was about to take them back and apologize… "Yeah, I do." Randy still kept his eyes ahead on the road, even as he answered. He didn't fail to notice the lopsided smirk Cody sent his way from the corner of his eyes.

After arriving at the airport, finishing up all the procedures and TSA being a pain in the ass, they finally ended up at the departure gates. They locked eyes before hugging the other goodbye. Randy promised to text Cody as soon as he landed in St. Louis. As he walked away, luggage in hand, Randy didn't know what he was more upset over…not wrestling for 60 days or not seeing Cody in that time…and that in itself left him feeling more lost than before…


	3. Chapter 3

_Here's the latest installment of this story! It's a longer chapter than the past two. I'm not sure how I did on this one. I hope whoever's reading will enjoy this and review!_

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The sixty days couldn't possibly pass slower for Randy. Sure, he was very happy to be around his daughter all the time. He could've sworn she grew up with each and every single day in front of his very eyes. He's always hated leaving her behind. She truly was the brightest star in his life. Also, being home was a nice change for a while. He realized he did need a break from the incessant travelling, the lack of sleep, the aching bumps and bruises.

But he got bored of that break rather quickly. He couldn't wait to return to squared circle. Even if it involved a lot of pain, a lot of hurt, he couldn't help but feel that he was meant to do this. Nothing made him feel more alive than going out to a thunderous crowd, soaking in their reaction, interacting with the fans, wrestling, entertaining and running on the biggest adrenaline rush he could possibly feel. Being away for too long made him feel helpless, incapable of doing anything, just hollow on the inside. It put him in the worst of moods. He could only blame himself this time…

It certainly didn't help that things were getting gradually worse with his wife. They just couldn't get along or engage in a decent conversation where yelling wasn't involved. She wouldn't stop complaining and never for a second single put herself in his shoes. They just couldn't connect, on any sort of conceivable level. At times, he just felt like storming out of the house to run away. In those times, he couldn't stop but think of how he wanted Cody to be around…

Speaking of which, he couldn't stop thinking about him. He really wanted him by his side. It's not like they didn't keep in touch – on the contrary, they did, all the time. They'd text daily and occasionally have lengthy phone calls. Usually, Cody would fill him in on what had been happening backstage while Randy would give him words of advice on his matches. But it didn't and couldn't compare to the real thing…he couldn't quite inform the younger man of all the troubles he'd been having at home. And it's mostly because he couldn't look into the eyes that he could've sworn made him forget all the worries in the world. Randy missed Cody, not that he'd ever admit it out loud.

Randy really didn't know why he'd grown to have such a soft spot for Cody. He had a lot of free time on his hands to ponder about it. He didn't know why it had touched him when he told him he'd miss him. He certainly didn't understand why he'd felt absolutely terrible when he walked away from him at the airport. All that he was sure of was that he was grateful towards Cody. In his mind, nobody cared about him more than him. He was always, unconditionally there for him. He didn't comprehend why, though. Cody had seen him through all of his states, through all of his shit, from the very best to the very worst. And God knows how bad that 'very worst' was. Anyone else would have abandoned him in a heartbeat, and on occasions Randy wouldn't have blamed them. But Cody didn't, and he never showed a sign that he ever would. Not only was Randy grateful towards Cody…he was grateful for him.

The feeling was very much reciprocated. Cody had missed Randy. It felt so strange to be on the road without him. Instead, he had Ted as his traveling companion. He was always a blast to be around, and Cody definitely enjoyed himself. It brought back a lot of great memories from the Legacy days. But he kept finding himself wishing that he'd been in those countless rental cars with Randy. He'd been so used to having the tattooed man with him. Sometimes, he'd get so bored in his hotel room that he'd prepare to visit Randy in his', only to remind himself that he wasn't there when he'd be looking for a key card he didn't have. And that happened on more than one occasion. Habits were certainly difficult to overcome. He'd either spend the night in a bar with the rest of the crew or eventually end up falling asleep, controller in hands and bottle of jack on the bedside table. Admittedly, mixing around with people other than Randy felt awkward, different. It wasn't necessarily a bad type of different. He just wanted Randy with him. That's all.

About five weeks into Randy's suspension, both men finally found a time to video chat. It was after a Smackdown taping where Cody had to pass on an opportunity to drink the night away, citing extreme exhaustion as his excuse. It raised a few eyebrows and didn't hold up though, since Cody hadn't look so happy in weeks. And it was the truth, too. It was the closest he'd be to Randy in a while. The latter felt the same. That video call was the thing that Randy had looked forward to the most in what felt like an eternity. He'd been amped up about it the whole day.

After several failed attempts to get the connection to cooperate and the cameras to work, their faces finally met. A wave of genuine joy flew through them. They were very happy to actually see one another. Even if it was virtually. Conversation immediately started.

"Look at us using Skype to video chat. Not bad for two technology-handicapped saps, right?" Cody claimed.

"Speak for yourself!" Randy replied, laughing.

"Says the guy who didn't know the difference between signing up and signing in?!" Cody sarcastically retorted.

"Oh, I see someone's been working up some jokes while I've been gone! Here I was, thinking the only joke you had was your wrestling."

Cody faked offense and put on his hand on his heart. "How dare you? I'll have you know, if you carry on with this travesty, I'll go to the papers if I have to."

Randy cracked up. Cody always had a way to make fun of that movie line of his' in the most opportune of times.

"You're an ass, you know that?"

"Yeah, well, you know, I also happen to be adorable."

Randy faked laughter at that line. He was already having fun. Leave it to Cody to get him out of his rut in instants. That didn't mean that Cody couldn't see straight through him, though. Yes, he could see that Randy was genuinely enjoying the conversation, but he knew something was up. That's why he felt the need to ask, "So man, how are you?"

"Um, I'm fine. I'm just really bored, you know? I miss the ring, the wrestling." Randy answered. Cody nodded. But he knew that wasn't the reason something felt wrong. He'd guessed it had something to do with his wife. He made a mental reminder to ask him about her later…

Randy proceeded to ask him how he did and from then on, he let him in on what had happened at the tapings both in and out of the ring. He shared some anecdotes, backstage news, funny situations that he had found himself in with the likes of Ted and Kofi and all the whatnots. On the other hand, Randy explained in details his new workout routine, the content of his rather empty days, how he'd loved being around Alanna… After a good half an hour of talking, the suspense was too much for Cody. He really wanted to know what was bothering the other man. He wanted to ask about his wife, who he was almost sure was the source of Randy's problems.

"So, how are things with Sam?"

Randy cringed at her mention. He couldn't help it. That's how much he couldn't stand her these days. Cody caught up on his reaction. His instinct had been indeed correct. Randy let out a sarcastic chuckle. "A-okay, man. Things couldn't be better!"

"I'm serious!" Cody said.

Randy sighed. "Man, where do I start? Do I start off by saying that her presence is almost suffocating? Or by the fact that every conversation we have just makes me to pull the veins right off of my wrists?"

Cody's eyes were wide open. Things have definitely taken a turn for the worst since they'd last seen each other. "Wow. It's that bad?"

"I'm afraid so."

"What else happened?"

As Randy was opening his mouth to respond, Cody noticed a loud female voice calling for the man he was currently conversing with. Randy quickly excused himself. Cody couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but he could definitely hear a tense back-and-forth exchange. He really felt bad for his friend; but for a God forsaken reason, a miniscule, almost inexistent part of him that he wasn't even aware of, was smiling…

A few moments later, Randy came back. To both of their dismays, he had to leave. "I'm so sorry our conversation got cut off short. I have something to do with Alanna. I think it's better for us to talk about this in person, when we won't be interrupted."

"It's ok. I totally get it. Let's do this again, yeah?" Cody sympathetically replied.

"Sure."

After bidding their goodbyes, Randy shut down his laptop and got engaged in yet another heated argument with his wife. In the meantime, conflicting emotions were battling within Cody's mind. On one hand, he was elated to have talked to one of the dearest people to him. But how could he be pleased when that very same person was clearly going through one of their darker times? He wanted to be there for Randy, and badly.

He knew such an issue had to be addressed in person. Face-to-face. That next opportunity would come at RAW 1000. It was in Saint Louis, so Randy would be in attendance. It was also in two weeks. If he could, Cody would have fast forwarded right past them at the speed of light…


	4. Chapter 4

_So here's the new chapter of this story! It's a pretty long one and I'm pretty nervous about how it turned out. So please, review to let me know how exactly I'm doing! Hope you enjoy reading! :)_

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The two weeks that led to Cody and Randy's reuniting passed rather quickly, for Cody at least. It was understandable – from tapings, to house shows, interviews, media appearances, charity events, photoshoots, countless flights and car rides, time can be a forgotten notion. Days and nights mould into one big giant ensemble. But all of this still didn't stop him from anxiously waiting for the day he'd see Randy again…in fact, he awaited seeing him again so much that he'd sometimes forget it also happened to be one of the biggest days in his company's history…RAW 1000. It was almost not healthy, and he was aware of it.

As for Randy, he was convinced that those fourteen days would never come. They say the more you concentrate on time, the slower it passes. At this point, he couldn't agree more. He was counting down the days. Hell, one time, he even found himself counting down the hours. It was the result of extreme boredom and, at the same time, anticipation. He knew that historic event would be frustrating to attend. He'd be backstage but wouldn't be able to appear on the show itself. He'd be just next to the action but wouldn't be part of it. A classic case of 'so close, yet so far'. Despite that, he couldn't wait to get back in the groove of the business again. He'd be once again in the midst of all the frantic pacing, the panic, the chaos. And he loved it. Absolutely loved it. Not to mention that Cody was there. He was a big factor in his eagerness to attend the show. Huge one, in fact…

Of course, in the meantime, they kept in touch. They didn't get the opportunity to video chat again and that was mainly due to Cody's hectic schedule. Randy could definitely relate to that. Finding a free slot of time to do that with his family on the road proved to be a hell of a challenge.

So, all they could do is wait.

It was finally D-day. July 23rd had finally arrived. Randy could barely sit still. If he could have, he would have woken up, prepared and left for the arena first thing in the morning. But, knowing that probably no one from the roster was in the building and that it was filled with production crew, it would be bizarre to be the first one there. Additionally he had to wait for his wife to get back from work so they would go together with Alanna. He was fine with bringing his little one with him. She always loved being with her dad during live events. What he had a problem with was Sam riding on his coattail the whole night. He didn't even understand why she was tagging along – she was never a wrestling fan to begin with.

Speaking of which, the night prior, she had really gotten on his last nerve. He was supposed to pick up Cody from the airport and drive him around St Louis. Except, a few hours before, Sam came up with an appointment that she had supposedly booked weeks in advance, leaving him without a car and with the task of keeping an eye on Alanna. He felt incredibly guilty of cancelling at the very last minute despite Cody assuring him that it was fine and that he understood. The truth was, Cody was pretty bummed out but the last thing he wanted was to convey that annoyance to the older man.

Randy eventually made it to the Scottrade Center two hours before the beginning of the program. The scene he was greeted with was awfully familiar: Vince yelling at one of the writers, production members running and bumping into co-workers, Divas getting their makeup done in a hurry and agents giving out updated scripts just moments before the show started… The faintest of smiles was painted on Randy's face. There was no place like home.

He set about finding Cody. Knowing his tendencies, he was probably getting ready. He made a beeline for the locker room, dropping off his wife and daughter in catering. Once he was there, he was met by his colleagues, who seemingly didn't know how to greet him. He put on his best polite act and shook hands. Inwardly, he was wishing they'd all disappear. The only person he wanted to see at that moment was Cody. He raised an eyebrow when he didn't find him there. Kofi informed him that he last saw him with the writers, which was where Randy would go next. Just as he was about to round the corner of the hall…they met again.

"Randy!" Cody exclaimed in pure joy.

"Cody…" Randy rumbled as both men hugged long and tightly. For the first time in a while, Randy was genuinely smiling. Happiness was a foreign concept to him. But it was brought back to him the moment he saw Cody.

Holding onto his shoulders as they let go, the younger man continued, "You look real good, man! I see that new training of yours is paying off!"

"So do you", Randy replied. "Why aren't you dressed to compete? You're always in your trunks, even hours before the show starts."

"Apparently, I'm not important enough to make it to RAW 1000." Cody shrugged.  
"They didn't book you?"

Cody shook his head in negation.

"Sorry to hear that…you really deserve to be on the show, you know that?" Randy tried to reassure him. He knew Cody's biggest critic was himself. He often doubted his craft. He never thought he did enough, even though that was fiction. The tattooed man knew that Cody was, by far, one of the hardest working superstars on the roster.  
"Ah well, you know. I guess they wanted their big guns for the show. I'll be fine." Cody replied, sending his companion a lopsided smile. In reality, Cody was suffering from a lot of career stress at the time. He'd been doing everything right, putting in all of the energy he could muster into his work. Yet, things still weren't looking up for him.

As if he could read his mind, Randy said, "You know you'll get your big break, right? It's only a matter of when, not how. I hope you realize that."

"And I hope you're right."

They found a big container next to them. They decided to make it their seat. They certainly didn't want to head back to the locker room or catering to maintain a certain amount of privacy.

Cody briefly squeezed Randy's thigh. "You have no idea how good it is to see you again. It hasn't been quite the same since you left." Cody mentally slapped himself at that line. In the last two times he'd seen Randy, some sentimental crap had to, uncontrollably and unintentionally, get out of his mouth. But he'd meant those words, though, he really did. Meanwhile, Randy felt the briefest of shivers run through him, not only at the touch but also at the words. He tried to ignore it and respond. "It's good to be back…even if I officially return in a week." If he thought it'd be acceptable of him to say that it was great to see him again too, he would have…

They carried on with some easy-going banter, joking around and asking about the other's general state. Cody asked about Alanna and Randy kept on raving about her as he always did. He told him she was here with him and that she'd be so excited to see him again. The little girl always had a soft spot for her 'Uncle Cody', much like her father…

Cody wanted to get down to the heart of the subject that was looming in the air. And he wasn't going to waste any more time. He'd been impatiently waiting to hear about it. "So man, what's up with you and Sam?" Randy rubbed his temples. That woman irritated him like no other.

"I swear to God, Cody, she's been driving me crazy. Just the mention of her name makes me want to punt someone's head off."

Cody puffed out a laugh and tried to keep the conversation light rather than gloomy. "Okay, should I be worried here?"

Randy replied the laugh. "You're off the hook. At least, for now. But if you start acting like a hormonal, bipolar bitch then you've got something to worry about."

"I think I should go on a hunt for a new bodyguard. I don't want my head to be taken off during my sleep!" Randy playfully punched Cody in the arm and the latter pretended to be in serious pain.

"I'm glad to see you're still the same annoying bastard you've always been."

"Seriously, though. What exactly did I miss out on between you and Sam?"

"What happened? Well, for starters-" Just as Randy was about to start his explanation, he got cut off by a stage crew member. "Randy, Mr. McMahon is looking for you. He wants you in a meeting with creative right now."

Randy sighed disappointedly. "I'll be right there."

He turned back to Cody whose face had fallen. "I'll try to finish up with them as quickly as possible."

Cody, ever the understanding friend, responded with, "No, take your time. Try to hook yourself up with a badass storyline, yeah?"

"Don't think that's possible unless they turn me heel."

The meeting was a pretty lengthy one. Randy expected it. He'd been away for a couple of months but he still remained one of the company's biggest stars and money makers. As usual, he'd tried to plead with Vince and the writers to turn him heel again and, of course, they'd retorted by saying that they were waiting for Sheamus to fully get over as the top face on Smackdown. They proceeded to say that they'd stick him in a rivalry with Dolph Ziggler in an attempt to build up both guys. He was fine with that – after all, Dolph was one of the best workers in WWE and he knew that they would steal the show at any given chance.

As for the Atlanta-native, he was pretty frustrated. It seemed that as soon as a conversation with Randy takes a turn for the deep, something had to interrupt them. Add to that the disappointment of not appearing on one of the company's biggest shows and you had a volatile Cody Rhodes.

Deep down, he knew that he wouldn't have much of a chance to talk to Randy that night. The place was just way too overcrowded. Furthermore, his father, the American Dream Dusty Rhodes was attending, which meant that he'd spend most of the time with him. And he was correct. Randy was pulled at every corner, whether it was to discuss his return the following week, the design of his new shirt, among plenty of other things. Cody spent his time around legends, taking in words of wisdom and advice. He was a student of the game, so that kind of input was important to him. The only time he'd seen Randy again that night was in catering when he was with his wife and daughter. He greeted both of them and played around with Alanna. They had a special bond ever since she was born. Randy was always taken aback by how well Cody handled being around his precious girl…

The show had come and gone. There was a huge dinner organized for the current and former superstars. Cody had been one of the first to leave. All he wanted was to lay in hotel bed alone and in silence. The event had been quite overwhelming. He hoped a bit of sleep would cure his bad mood.

His phone beeped. He checked it to find a text message from Randy. "I noticed you left early. Hope you're ok. I'll call you tomorrow. Remember, next week, no interruptions." It was a simple text, really. But it's one these things that proved to him just how much Randy cared. He quickly typed back an answer. "Yes. Can't wait."

And he really couldn't wait…he just hoped nothing would stand in their way next time around…


	5. Chapter 5

_Here's the fifth chapter of this story! It's a very long one, but honestly I think it's worth it. I'll just leave it at that. As always, reviews are more than welcome and of course, enjoy reading! :)_

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The day had finally arrived. July 30th, the day Randy Orton's suspension came to an end. Needless to say, he was over the moon about it. Finally, those painfully long two months were behind him. He could once again be able to do one of the few things he loves in this world: wrestle. He was determined to do things right. No more carelessness. No more nonchalance. No more distractions. He was going to be completely and utterly focused on his work and the effort he puts in. He was willing to do what was necessary to dust himself off and climb his way to the top once again.

Hell, he was so determined to turn things around that he even considered changing how he handled his peers. Maybe coming across as less…threatening wouldn't be such a horrible idea. However, mixing around with them and becoming "one of the guys" was still out of the question. There was no way that was ever happening.

The night prior, he flied out to Cincinnati, the site for that week's RAW. Leaving his daughter was extremely tough on him. It pained him more than the previous times since he was around her 24/7 for sixty days. He'd gotten so used to her contagiously happy presence. He didn't want to travel without her. As always, he'd taken one of her elastic hair bands as a way to keep a part of her with him.

However though, very contrastingly, he was more than happy to say goodbye to Sam. He couldn't wait to finally get some distance from her. It had become a necessity at this point, otherwise sooner rather than later, they would've been caught strangling each other. The day of his flight, they had gotten into one of their biggest arguments yet, which says a lot. It ended up in insults, threats, and hell, he could've sworn that she threw her shoes at him in the heat of the moment. To say that the situation had reached a new level in hostility between them would be a severe understatement. Looking back, Randy thanked the heavens that their daughter had been at school, because in no way did he want her to witness that scene. He felt bad about it, he really did. At one point, they were truly in love. But at some time he couldn't quite pinpoint, they just started to drift away from one another. Fast forward to today and they couldn't be more worlds apart.

His anger was consuming him, and he couldn't stop it despite his attempts. No internal strength could stop the tormented state he was in. And that in itself was irking him even more. He was afraid that all of this frustration would translate to his craft and be a roadblock to the progress he desperately wanted to make. He knew what the remedy to this was, the only remedy in fact…Cody. More than ever, he needed to talk to him about it, to let it all out. It was as though he was dependent towards him…and he really didn't know how to feel about that.

Cody, on the other hand, wasn't doing too well either. Once again, he'd been informed that he wouldn't be on RAW or Smackdown. He'd be on Superstars. Whether the match would be taped on Monday or Tuesday would still have to be decided. He just didn't understand why progress wasn't his friend right now. He knew that the wrestling business was a cycle, ups were followed by downs and he just so happened to be on the wrong side of the tire. But his better judgment was clouded by bitterness. He kept thinking back to the beginning of the year – he'd been one of the longest reigning Intercontinental champions ever. Extended time on Smackdown was a guarantee. He'd have a lot of great, long matches and time for promos. His character had flourished and matured the way he envisioned it. Career-wise, he was more than satisfied. He'd supposed that losing the Intercontinental Title would be a step towards bigger and better things. Instead, he was being pushed down the ladder and there was nothing to be done about it. Attempts of compensation were made. Cody worked out more, trained harder, pushed himself to limits he didn't even know he had. And yet, he was still relegated to Superstars. Releasing some of that frustration was becoming a must. He always remembered Randy, who had helped him in similar times. Talking to him would definitely be good, he thought. And speaking of which, he was very happy to see him again backstage.

…

They had agreed to meet up in the locker room. That was, after Randy had finished up his meeting with creative to see in which fashion he would make his return to TV. They had ended up deciding that he'd score a win against Heath Slater. It was perfect, really – the so-called One Man Band had been challenging legends for weeks on end, and it was only fitting that the original Legend Killer made a statement about it. Plus, the WWE Universe wanted to see Slater's mouth get shut, so who better to do it than Randy? As soon as they had agreed about the idea, he fled the room and headed straight out to see Cody.

Cody had been waiting for him like an impatient kid, jumping up and down on the bench, constantly checking his watch and staring at the door for any sign of Randy. His erratic behavior had even garnered a few raised eyebrows from his peers. In his defense, he'd say that he had nothing better to do. After all, he'd found out earlier that he'd be taping his Superstars match with Justin Gabriel the next night. It was partially true, but it was more that he was ecstatic to have Randy back, full-time. His feet took it upon themselves to move Cody just outside of the room. For some reason, he felt that waiting was easier done standing on your on own two feet.

Randy found Cody pacing around in front of the locker room, his back turned towards him. He smiled to himself. It was classic Cody. He lightly tapped on his shoulder in an attempt to startle him. And he succeeded. The younger man frantically shifted around to find the face he wanted to see the most.

"Fuck, Randy! You scared the hell out of me!" Cody exclaimed, before both men engaged in a hug that mirrored last week's – long and tight. Randy eyed him. "Don't tell me they haven't booked you again for this week's show?"

"Oh, they did, if the show you're talking about is Superstars." Cody replied ironically.

"Are you serious, man? God, do you want me to talk to them or something? Cause it's getting ridiculous!" Randy retorted. He was clearly irritated for his friend.

"Forget it. You know I have to get back on track on my own. And it's not exactly like you're in a position to ask favors from creative…no offense."

Randy snorted at Cody's response. He was completely blunt and, admittedly, truthful. He appreciated that honesty. "None taken. Come on, I'm just gonna greet the guys before we head to catering. I'm starving."

Cody didn't know if he had heard that last part right. He was in shock. "What the fuck did I just hear? Randy Orton is going to greet his colleagues? Were the Mayans actually right?"

Randy laughed. Putting a hand on Cody's shoulder, he guided them to the locker room. "I'll explain later."

To say that the locker room was surprised to see Randy Orton greet them courteously was an understatement. They were astonished. In fact, they were so astonished that a group of co-workers asked him to come along to a pub after the show. He was very hesitant at first. He definitely didn't want to get too friendly with them. But in between the stage manager telling him that he had five minutes until his match and the heavy insisting, he couldn't help but comply. Cody meanwhile, was watching the scene with eyes wide open, partially in surprise, partially in amusement. He knew Randy wouldn't be able to keep up his civil guy act.

…

Randy was anticipating this moment for the past two months. The moment where he'd be warming up, stretching, breathing in and out. The moment when Cody would be wish him luck. The moment when he'd be just behind the curtain. The moment when he'd step through them. The moment when he'd finally feel that he's come home.

The place came unglued at the Apex Predator's music. Men, women and children alike were giving him a thunderous ovation. He felt like the hands that had been constricting his throat had finally stopped strangling him. He felt alive again. That oh so familiar adrenaline rush built up like it hadn't taken a day's rest. He was on a new high. Stepping through these ropes felt just right. Wrestling was in his blood.

The whole time, Cody had been watching him intently from the monitor near the gorilla position. His eyes were burning a figurative hole through the screen. The crowd, the commentators and Heath Slater might as well not be there – he could only look at Randy. He was studying his every move, his every look, every inch of his game. He knew the Viper was in the zone. He's always admired Randy. He was a fan of his work as a package. But for the first time, he found himself truly mesmerized. More than that, the thought of Randy looking particularly good looking just wouldn't leave him. Cody tried to shake it out of his system and focus on the match. All he managed to do was bury it in the back of his head hastily. What he didn't realize was that he buried it alive. And buried alive wasn't necessarily synonymous with death…

He moved next to the curtains to greet Randy after his bout. They've always done that for the other throughout the years. Randy peered through from behind with a smile gracing his face.

"How did I do?!" Randy asked, the adrenaline still running in his veins.

"Fantastic. Like you've never missed a beat." Cody answered assuredly.

"Ah man, you have no idea how good it felt to be out there again!"

"I think it showed through." Cody said with a genuine smile. He couldn't help but feel very happy for his friend.

…

After Randy had his shower and that RAW came to a close, Cody and he headed out to a nearby pub along with the group of co-workers. Before they made their way through the door, Randy received a phone call. He excused himself to take it. "Hey Sam," was all that Cody could catch before the older man moved away. He thought that this was going to be most interesting…

As soon as Randy finished the conversation, he stormed through the door and targeted a stool at the bar, completely ignoring his peers who settled on a table on the opposite side of the room. At the sight of this, Cody immediately walked up and took a seat right next to Randy who had just received and downed his first shot.

"What the hell happened, Randy?" Cody asked with great concern.

"Oh, you know, just my annoying fucking bitch of a wife making my life a living hell even if we're hundreds of miles apart!" Randy retorted, still fuming in rage, rapidly taking a second shot.

Cody stopped the tattooed man from taking a third one, clutching his wrist.

"Let me have the god damned drink, Cody!" Randy protested, still eying the drink.

"Look at me." Cody calmly demanded. Grey, steely eyes met warm, ocean blue ones. It was like ice meeting fire. The fire always melted the ice away. And just like that, Randy found himself in a more appeased state. The effect the younger man had on him was undeniable.

"Now tell me what happened."

"Sam called. You'd think she'd congratulate me on my first night back, right? But no, all she wanted to bitch about was how I didn't leave enough money for her and Alanna this week!" Randy drank his third shot before continuing, "I'm just sick of it, Cody. I've reached this point where I literally can't take it anymore. I'm trying to keep it together for Alanna, man, I really fucking am. But I just know I'm going to snap."

"No, you won't. Because you're way too tough to just break down and lose it. You won't let yourself." Cody said, trying to soothe his friend.

"You don't get it, Cody. You know how my temper is. Sometimes I act on impulse without realizing what I'm doing. She is driving me off the cliff. I don't know how things fell apart this much in the last two months!" Randy paused the conversation by ordering two beers for him and Cody.

"Well, now that we're here, why don't you finally fill me in?"

"It started with-" was all Randy could say before Daniel Bryan came up from behind and interrupted. "Hey guys, why-"

"NO! YOU, YOU FUCK OFF RIGHT NOW!" Randy yelled, menacingly pointing at the submission specialist. So much for becoming less threatening. The shorter man immediately backed away.

Cody couldn't help but break out in laughter. It seemed like interruptions were unacceptable and down right prohibited for Randy that night.

"I will not be getting interrupted every fucking time we start talking!"

"I'll drink to that." Cody agreed, as he raised his bottle and took a big chug from it.

In the midst of more alcohol being gulped by both men, Randy proceeded to explain in details what exactly had transpired with Sam. He narrated certain situations and poured out every single emotion and thought that had travelled past him. He focused on how she'd shattered any ounce of peace he'd had in his mind. Tongues were getting increasingly looser and heads lighter.

"Man, you know what she said to me just last night? She told me that she regretted our marriage. And that maybe we should look for other people." Randy bitterly snickered. Cody sat in silence, with open ears and a mouth full of Jack Daniels.

"I think she's cheating on me, Cody."

…

Mere moments later, both men were laughing hysterically. By their standards, that was a clear sign that they were completely and utterly drunk. They started wobbling around the room, coming up to other customers and making fun of them to their face. They almost got into it with two bulk men who were visibly in no mood for jokes. Thankfully, some fellow superstars intervened to put a stop to this hot-blooded situation and separated both parties. Ted had been kind enough to pay for their ridiculously pricey tab and call them a cab driver to whom he gave strict instructions to drive them to the hotel and walk them through the lobby.

At this point, Cody and Randy were slurring their words less. Their sentences were making just a little more sense, but their mockery roll didn't stop at the expense of the cab driver, to who it didn't go unnoticed. Thankfully he was an aged, wise man. Had they come across some other driver, their asses would have probably been thrown to the streets.

The driver did as Ted asked and accompanied them to the elevator. By some miracle, Randy pressed on the correct floor number. They couldn't stand straight therefore they were holding onto the other's shoulder. Their laughter had been toned down quite a bit but reared its head when, for a minute, Randy couldn't find his key card when it was in his front pocket the whole time.

The couch was right in front of them. However, in their heads, the floor made for a more comfortable seat. They both sighed. "Ah man, you should just divorce her, you know?" Cody said the last part in a much higher pitch, coming across as a complete child and drawing giggles from Randy.

"You know, maybe it's just me, Cody…maybe I'm not good enough for her."

"What?! What are you talking about? You are one of the greatest people I know. In this entire world!" Cody replied, lightly pushing the other man's shoulder.

"I'm no you."

"Hah, me? I'm a failure. Look at my career. It's a fucking failure. I can't even get one minute on TV. I am the one who's not good enough."

Randy shook his head furiously.

"Don't say that about yourself! You're not, okay? You are one of the most talented guys there is and they are fucking idiots for not using you well. And your personality…man, it's fucking amazing."

"You're just saying nice things to make me feel better." Cody quietly claimed, lowering his head.

Right then, Randy, who was normally closed up sentimentally, spilled out, "I'm not. I mean it. You are…you are the best friend anybody could have…that I could have… You? You're perfect..."

Cody raised his eyes from the ground and locked with Randy's. Each pair of orbits contemplated the other, examined it, explored it. They were lost in each other. No force of nature could break apart their gaze. Its intensity led to sparks, sparks only they could see and feel. Their gaze was a magnet, bating them in. Simultaneously, with gentleness and serenity, they pulled closer to each other. Shivers were coursing through them. They slowly closed their eyes. Their noses got into contact. The millimeters separating their mouths were getting smaller. Their lips were just about to touch…

Until their heads clashed roughly together. They burst into a fit of laughter, once again. They still were intoxicated and were in no way conscious of their actions. In fact they continued as they normally would, like nothing had happened. Right about now, their sober selves would enter panic mode…


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapitro numero six has arrived! As always, I hope you enjoy and please, please, please review!_

* * *

It was roughly around 8:30 when Randy awoke, accompanied by one hell of a headache. He was met with the sun hitting his eyes with blasting force. He couldn't help but frown at the blinding brightness he was faced with. He rubbed his temples and with great effort, fully opened up his lids. The scene he found baffled him to say the least. The room was an absolute mess; alcohol bottles were thrown on the floor, chairs were misplaced, his clothes were lying around everywhere and Cody was sleeping on the couch, half his body hanging off of it.

His mind tried to pick up the broken pieces that composed last night. He remembered straight away that he and Cody got drunk. Very drunk. Luckily, he was never one to deal with terrible hangovers. He wouldn't feel like death was upon him. It also helped that almost every night during his two-month suspension, he would drink in copious amounts of booze, mainly in an attempt to drown out his fights with his wife.

He grabbed a bottle of water, a hangover remedy that had helped him throughout the years. Randy then realized he was shirtless, but still in his jeans. He scratched his head at the entire situation. However, intending to recall the prior night's events had to be postponed – a shower was definitely in need. He headed for the bathroom, discarded his pants and boxers and turned on scorching hot water. He used those few minutes of solitude to relax and stop his brain from functioning.

As he finished, he wrapped a towel around his hips and exited the now steam-filled bathroom. He noticed that Cody was still asleep. He figured he had a green light to pick up some clothes and put them on right then and there. Once he got that out of the way, he sat back on the edge of his bed and just stared at Cody. He couldn't shake off this weird sensation he had when his eyes contemplated the younger man for a few moments. It was as if this eerie atmosphere had taken over the room – one that couldn't be decrypted.

And that was when suddenly, one particular memory of last night hit him… _Their gaze was a magnet, bating them in. Simultaneously, with gentleness and serenity, they pulled closer to each other. Shivers were coursing through them. They slowly closed their eyes. Their noses got into contact. The millimeters separating their mouths were getting smaller. Their lips were just about to touch…_

Randy's eyes were about to pop right out of his skull. So many thoughts kept clashing together, like a perfect car crash. His headache increased in intensity. His head kept spinning. His mouth remained agape. His stomach tied up in knots. This was the ultimate 'what the fuck' moment.

His brain literally couldn't process what it had just remembered. It couldn't be fully registered. What flustered Randy the most was how and why he had come within an inch of kissing his best friend. The necessity to light up a cigarette was becoming all too imposing. He quietly sneaked to the balcony and did just that. He had to calm himself down before the ability to make sense out of this could be enabled. His eyes fell shut and he took deep puffs of his smoke. For a limited number of instants, he succeeded at what seemed to be the impossible. He stared at the vast landscape ahead and yet, it was blanked out by his thoughts. Before him, laid a scenery full of emptiness.

He didn't know where to begin. Cody was his best friend. His male best friend. In no way should he normally find himself almost kissing him. A thing of the kind should never happen between two friends, who yes, happened to trust each other with their lives. In addition to that, he wasn't gay. He has only ever been attracted to women. Never had he experienced a gay escapade or anything of the sort. He had a wife. He had a daughter. This was insane.

His mind ran back straight away to Cody. He always knew he had a soft spot for him. He'd admitted that to himself countless times. And granted, he never comprehended where it emitted from, he always assumed that his endless faithfulness had created that sentiment. But he couldn't help but wonder if perhaps, it came from a deeper place than just companionship… Randy wasn't an idiot. He knew blaming the alcohol was futile and ultimately, a running away card.

He ran his hands over his face. He couldn't believe he was in such a position.

He eventually made his way back to the room. Cody still hadn't woken up. Once more, he sat on the edge of the bed and glanced at him. He didn't feel any anger or resentment towards him… On the contrary, Cody still had his affection, and for some reason, more than usual…

He realized he needed to put an end to the never ending gazing, so he went on the search for his phone which he found in the midst of tangled sheets. As he was going through his list of unread text messages, he heard Cody stirring from where he laid.

As Cody was regaining consciousness, he too was greeted with a migraine of epic proportions. Its severity kept him unable to even open his eyes for several minutes. When he did, he had a hard time taking in the setting. He couldn't but notice a huge mess on the floor. The fact that he'd slept on a couch only hit him later. He tilted his head just slightly to see Randy sitting on the bed.

Just as he was about to call out for him, his feet took it upon themselves to transport him to the bathroom where he emptied the contents of his stomach.

Instinctively, Randy followed him there. He knew that when it came to hangovers, Cody was his opposite, his antagonist, even. They handed Cody very difficult cards to deal with. It was mainly due to his lack of drinking in general. Cody limited his alcohol consumption in a serious manner. He was a committed to a rigorous and clean health regimen. So when he did sporadically drink, the aftermath was hell to deal with.

He entered to see Cody throwing up and barely able to keep the toilet seat open. Right away, one hand went to the back of his head, the other to the toilet seat so it wouldn't bother Cody. The almost-kiss was completely forgotten about. When he was done, Cody leaned on Randy so he could wash his mouth and, afterwards, walk back to the main area. Randy guided him to the room and sat him on the bed. He was in full-on protective mood. He brought the shorter man a glass of water, hoping it could work as well as it did with him. After a while, it turned out it hadn't, so he resorted to a painkiller. It succeeded enough to make Cody utter his first words.

"I feel like shit."

Randy couldn't hold back a chuckle. "It looks like it, man."

"God, don't speak so loud. My head hurts." Cody replied frowning. It then dawned on him that he had to wrestle that night. "Oh my God. We still have to travel and tape the shows tonight. How the fuck am I supposed to wrestle like this?!"

"Don't worry. We still have plenty of time before the tapings start." Intuitively, Randy put a reassuring hand on Cody's leg, but as soon as his mind caught up on the act, he immediately withdrew it. He tried to cover up the awkwardness. "Come on, I'll order us some food. It'll help you out."

He phoned room service and called in a hearty breakfast. They could both certainly need some added stamina. As soon as he was done with the phone call, the eerie mood reigned over Randy once more. He couldn't face Cody, who in his estimation, wasn't able to remember a thing. At that moment, he couldn't even look at him. He kept his back turned towards him in hopes of collecting himself. He knew he had to let him in on what had ensued. Lying to Cody was abysmal. Quite simply, it couldn't be done. He deserved to know the truth.

On the other hand, he thought it could wait. He was aware of how much stress Cody was going through as a result of his unstable career. He was already adding a ton of pressure on himself, not to mention he was having a bout later night. The last thing he needed was a distraction to screw up a match, even if it happened to be for Superstars. If that were the case, the doghouse wouldn't be a far off option. That was his way of protecting him, and his career.

"Hey Randy, what happened last night? I can't remember a damn thing."

Randy turned around and tried conveying absolute honesty. "Nothing. We went to a bar with those idiots and we drank our asses off. And somehow we ended up back here."

"Oh man, you can be sure we aren't doing this anytime soon. My head is killing me." Cody claimed, rubbing his forehead to soothe the headache.

"No, we aren't…"

…

They ate breakfast in silence, a comfortable one for Cody and an awkward one for Randy. Soon after, Cody went back to his room to pick up all of his belongings. They met up afterwards so they could drive off to the next town. Thankfully, it was about an hour away from where they currently were.

The whole ride through, Cody tried opening up subjects that would normally ensue fluid talk between the both of them. And yet, all he was met with were short, conversation-ending answers. He found it rather uncanny.

"Is everything alright, Randy?" Cody quizzically asked.

Randy knew Cody would pick up on the weird attitude. He practically had his reply ready. "Yeah, yeah. I'm just tired. I think all the drinking's still having a toll on me."

Cody was still suspicious but decided to not go against him. "Alright then."

…

Per usual, before heading out to the arena, both superstars checked in at the hotel, and placed their suitcases in their respective rooms. They were in no shape to hit the gym, so they settled on taking advantage of the extra time to rest. Hopefully, that was enough to get them in somewhat of a fighting form. A couple of hours later, they drove to the arena together.

Being that the tapings kicked off with Superstars, Cody had his match first. Once he stepped foot out of the curtain, he was in the zone. He was the king of the jungle. Any trace of a hangover was erased. He had a great back and forth bout with Justin Gabriel, as they've always had in the past. Throughout the duration of the match, he managed to garner a large amount of heat, as if he had never missed out on any TV time. It boggled Cody's mind how he could be stuck on an online show when, unlike most heels with storylines, he actually managed to get crowd reactions. Needless to say, he thought it was unfair.

He caught up with Randy shortly after backstage, a towel hanging from his shoulder.

"So, how did you think I did?" Cody inquired.

"You did great, man." Randy offered.

Cody raised an eyebrow at that response. "That's it?" In customary fashion, Randy would offer a handful of critique on his work, even if it happened to be about a 3-minute match.

"Yeah. You did great. Hey look, I have to get ready for my match. So, umm, I'll meet up with you after the show, alright?" Randy didn't even wait for Cody to answer. He clapped his shoulder and walked right past him, leaving Cody in a state of extreme confusion and surprise.

He was lying. His match was the main event, therefore leaving him a good amount of time for potential discussion with Cody. He hated doing this to the Georgia-native. He knew the latter would be in distress over his stance with him. But, he couldn't face Cody when he was holding back such a capital piece of information that could change things between them for good. He was just waiting for the end of the show until he could bring it to light.

All throughout the entirety of the show, Cody sat in the locker room hanging out with Ted DiBiase who had competed in the dark match. He was just returning from injury, so his road back to TV would be kind of a long one. They talked about the frantic events of Monday night, Ted filling him on his' and Randy's scandalous drunken stupor. He recalled how he paid their heavy bar tab and how he had called them a cab to take them back to the hotel. Ever the southern gentleman, Ted didn't expect anything in return. Cody had always been grateful for that trait in his friend.

As the conversation went along, Cody was still with Ted in person. However, all his thoughts mounted back to Randy and the bizarre cold shoulder he'd been on the receiving end of. Randy had constantly stated that he was just fine and that he was still dealing with the hangover. Cody wasn't one to be fooled, though, especially by a guy who he knew like the back of his hand. He either got into it with his wife again, or it was him; he did something to Randy. And, a hunch of his' led him to believe it was the last option…

He wasn't going to let this go. He was going to confront Randy about this. And that's exactly what he did.

…

He waited for his match with Alberto Del Rio to end. He watched it with full attentiveness, trying to read through Randy's mood. The task was expectedly difficult. Once Randy was out there, he was a closed book. Completely in character, full of passion and focused on the job at hand. He couldn't help but be impressed. By the end of the match, everybody had exited the locker room, something Cody was grateful for. He needed the privacy for what was about to fall out of his mouth. He sat on the bench, waiting for Randy's impending arrival.

When he walked back through the curtain, Randy was full of satisfaction. He just had a very competitive and well-executed matchup with Del Rio. He even received a pat on the back from the road agents for a job well done. It was his second night back, so he still felt on a high from his return. His mission now was to shower, relax and, ultimately, reveal the truth to Cody.

As he made his way through the locker room, he found the man on his mind sitting on the bench, intent written all over his face. Cody immediately stood up from his seat and spoke up.

"Great match out there. You did an awesome job."

"Thank you." Randy answered with a half-smile.

"So, are you planning on telling me just what the hell I did to you?"

Randy inwardly sighed. He wasn't surprised by Cody's reaction, nor did he blame him. "You didn't do anything…"

"Cut the crap, Randy. You're not going to fool me. I know you way too much for you to lie to me. It seems like I've done something to piss you off. So, care to fill me in?" Cody countered, his anger gradually building up.

"You really didn't do anything, it's just-"

"Stop lying! Don't you dare tell me it's the drinking cause I am not going to buy it! So just fucking say it!" Cody was practically yelling at this point.

"Something happened, alright?!" Randy said, raising his voice. That was his habitual way of counteracting yelling. As he realized that, he inhaled deeply and remembered this was his fault, not Cody's. "Something happened," he repeated, in a calmer tone.

"What? What did?" Cody wondered, cooling down just a bit.

"I can't talk to you about it here. It's not simple. It…it needs time to talk about it. So pass by my room later, and…we will."

Cody's gaze immediately softened. "Alright, then."

…

Both men returned to their rooms and rested up a little. Shortly after having dinner, Cody picked up the spare key to Randy's room and headed there. He wanted explanations and now, he was about to get them.

As he entered the room, he found the taller man lying on his bed, TV turned on and Chinese takeout boxes on the bedside table. He shot up immediately as his friend closed the door behind him. The thought of Cody looking good in the polo he was wearing crossed his head. It matched his eye color. But he quickly brushed it off. He certainly didn't need to have those kinds of internal inputs when there were such important things at hand. It was crunch time.

"Hey." Randy muttered.

"Hey."

They both looked at each other for a few moments in silence. Cody broke off the lack of words. "I'm here now. So, can you finally tell me what happened?"

"Yeah." Randy stood up and guided them both to the nearby couch. When they sat, Randy found it difficult to utter those words, to utter the reality of what had happened. Or what almost happened, rather. It was just easier to stare at Cody.

"So?" Cody questioned.

Randy's glance fell to the floor. Spilling it out was more doable that way, he thought.

"Last night…when we got back to the room, we were still very, very drunk. Look, I don't remember everything but I do remember one thing, one thing in particular…and it's so strange, Cody, so strange…"

"What? What is it?" Cody wondered, becoming increasingly worried.

"We…" Randy intercepted his words with a deep breath. It was the only way he could compose himself enough to say it. "Cody, we almost kissed…"…


	7. Chapter 7

_I hope you guys are liking this story! Here's chapter 7. I'm a bit nervous about how it turned out. As always please enjoy reading and review! :)_

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Cody kept pacing back and forth around the room. He was so desperately trying to wrap his mind around the new information he had just received. The night prior, he was millimeters away from kissing Randy Orton. His reaction at first mirrored Randy's - his eyeballs were ready to pop right out of their sockets and his mouth was wide open. And yet, his eyes couldn't meet Randy's. They could only make contact with the carpet upon which he stood. They were burning a figurative hole through it.

He almost kissed Randy Orton. His best friend. This was crazy.

He couldn't form a single coherent thought in his head. He couldn't even express what exactly he was feeling. Panic? Shock? Fear? Expectation?

Randy couldn't tear his gaze from the younger man, mostly in worry. The latter had been pacing around for ten minutes, without saying a single word.

"Say something, Cody…anything…"

Still not able to face him, Cody responded, stuttering. "I…I don't know what to say."

Randy's stomach folded on itself about a hundred times at that reply. Anxiety coursed through him. Usually, Cody was the one with all the answers. He was the poised one between the two. He always had an explanation for everything, and now, not even he could comment on this. Right then, he couldn't keep looking at him. It was too nerve-wrecking to see Cody in such an unusual state.

Quite simply, he was scared he was losing him.

Cody could truly not believe the predicament in which they were in. A thousand voices in his head were screaming at him, in Randy-esque fashion. He knew that if he were to reason this out, he'd have to do it on his own. That was just the way he functioned. He often solved his inner conflicts with himself. Solitude wasn't his enemy. On the contrary, it had often been a helping hand. In such a situation, a long inner monologue was needed. He had to get out of there.

For the first time since the confession had been thrown out in the air, Cody threw a glance at Randy. The sight he was met with was unfamiliar to him. Randy was staring at the floor, biting his lip. His knees kept bumping, almost as though they were shaking. Seeing Randy like this hit Cody like a slap. During all that time, he'd been trapped in his own trance that the thought of Randy being in the exact same position as he was escaped him.

Even in his darker moments, Randy never looked weak or fragile. The walls that made his strength managed to stay up and high. They never threatened to crumble. But in that precise moment, Cody saw vulnerability in his friend. And that was rare. Very rare.

He mentally smacked himself. Randy had been through a lot of emotional pressure in his life recently. Life at home wasn't peaceful to say the very least. His wife was, to him, a humanized Satan. He had just retuned from his two-month suspension and was working particularly hard to get back on track. And now, he had to deal with the aftermath of their almost-kiss on his own, even though it wasn't his fault alone. He was being selfish to Randy. Guilt was imposing itself on him.

This time, it was his turn to find his protective side taking over.

"You know…maybe, we're exaggerating this entire whole thing…" Cody quietly stated.

Randy was confused. "What?"

"Yeah, I mean…we've both been going through some rough patches lately. And we were very, very drunk."

Randy furrowed his eyebrows. He didn't expect such a reaction from Cody. "I'm not sure I'm following…"

"We've both been really pissed off lately. Not to mention confused. So we took it all out by drinking. And you know what they say, you do the most desperate things when you're drunk!" Even Cody knew that none of what he was saying made sense.

"Umm…"

"Yeah, so, you know, we should just completely forget about this and act as if it never happened. We were just really drunk." Cody said, fake enthusiasm peaking right through his voice.

Randy couldn't believe what he was hearing. This entire speech was so unlike its owner. There was no way all of this talk was genuine. He softly shook his head. "Uh…yeah…if you say so…"

"I do say so. I don't find a reason why we should continue thinking this over. I'm sure it meant nothing."

For a reason unknown to him, that last part really stung Randy. It bothered him. In fact, he could've sworn it hurt him. Whether it was genuinely or not, Cody was brushing off this entire ordeal as though it was void of value, as though it meant nothing. It was rather unsettling, because at that moment, he didn't want Cody to move past this. He just didn't. This was a big deal to him.

The problem was, he could never voice that to him…

What he didn't realize was this was just as difficult for Cody. At the lack of response from the older man, breaking the silence was a must. There was only so much he could handle. "So, I'm just gonna go now. I'm tired. But seriously, don't think about it anymore, alright? It's just not worth it." At this point, Randy couldn't even counter back.

"So I guess I'll see you tomorrow in the morning for breakfast. Good night."

"Yeah." Randy inaudibly answered.

The tattooed man was absolutely furious. He couldn't believe the lack of care Cody was conveying. That was it? This was all he thought about something that could potentially change everything between them?

He couldn't help himself. As Cody was about to twist the door knob to make his way out, Randy stopped him in his tracks. "Cody?"

"Yeah?"

But ultimately, he held himself back. "Nothing, forget it. Have a good night."

"You too."

…

As soon as he closed the door behind him, Cody practically speed walked towards his room. This was overwhelming to him, more than he'd ever like to admit. All he wanted was to crawl, hide and think this through in peace. If that was even a possibility.

He hurriedly made his way to the bathroom and splashed some water on his face, in hopes of freshening up. He stared at his own reflection in the mirror. If someone were to ask him what he was on his mind, he wouldn't have been able to answer.

He moved to the balcony. The warm summer breeze hit his skin with a feathery touch. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, trying to take the soothing atmosphere in. He recalled Randy's face as he was shamefully hiding his sentiments. It pained him. Randy looked baffled, almost lost for words, but most of all hurt. He was torn about his instinctive decision. Was he truly protecting him by attempting to fool him? The expression that lay on Randy's face seemed to tell another story.

He then remembered the content of his words. He snickered at their stupidity. They proved just how bad he was at lying; especially to the man who probably knew the best in this world. _"And you know what they say, you do the most desperate things when you're drunk!"_

Here was the prime example of bullshit. Cody was not an idiot, he was far from it. In fact, he happened to be a very intelligent man. He was aware that stupid, idiotic acts resulted of one too many drinks. However, the cold, hard truth was always spilled out in a drunken state. One's consciousness goes to sleep while the dangerous unconscious side of him rises to take control. Any hidden feelings boil over to the surface and threaten to change everything. It was as twisted and yet, as simple as that.

Which led Cody to wonder; was that almost-kiss an accident? A pure and honest coincidence? Or was it in fact, a long time coming?

No kiss or, attempt of kissing was random. It comes from a source. In case of hookups or one night stands, it stems from attraction. But what Cody and Randy had was a different affair. What they had was an authentic bond, a very deep connection. But was it only friendship?

All the memories of him questioning the nature of their relationship flashed in front of his eyes: all those times he wondered why he was so attached to Randy, why he'd be so sad when they'd be apart for a while, why his suspension made him sense that a piece of his life had gone missing, why he'd be bothered when he'd distance himself to talk to his wife… Were those thoughts a normal friend should have? Or were they in reality, a the consequence of…deeper, more romantic feelings?

Cody shook his head furiously. It couldn't be. Both of them weren't gay, of that he was sure. Furthermore, and above all, Randy had a wife and daughter. In other words, an established family. It couldn't be.

But it was.

Cody couldn't deny it anymore.

…

Meanwhile, Randy sat still on the same couch even after Cody left. Disbelief still reigned supreme. He couldn't comprehend Cody's bipolar behavior. He went from frantically freaking out for a good fifteen minutes to drawing a collected, calm but also dismissive conclusion about the situation. He went from hot to cold in a heartbeat.

Was it that Cody was nonchalant about it all? That was impossible and he knew it. Cody was the opposite of nonchalant; he was one of the, if not the most caring person he has ever encountered. Just earlier in the night he had gone off on him because his actions were admittedly shady.

He assumed this was most likely the younger man's attempt to rescue their friendship, to stabilize matters as much as possible – and although it wasn't the best method to handle them, he could relate to it. After all, he himself had done some hiding throughout the day to protect Cody.

What he couldn't familiarize with though, was the profound annoyance he'd gone through when Cody acted indifferent about the prior night's events. He so desperately wanted to reach out for him and command his attention, command his care. He couldn't name someone who had such an effect on him. Not even his wife. Right there and then, Cody had a hold of him. In all sureness, his guard hadn't been this down in what felt like ages.

The perplexity only increased from then on. He remembered legitimately feeling a pang in his chest when Cody qualified the not-quite-kiss as meaningless. It might have been just words, and he was aware of that – so why did it hurt him? The explanation was quite obvious, but hard to swallow. To him, it did mean something. As a matter of fact, it meant a lot.

A cyclone of emotions ran through him at that internal confession.

He was basically admitting to himself that friendly feelings weren't the only thing he had for Cody.

Thinking about this was borderline exhausting. Randy felt the need to lie in bed. He didn't even bother taking his clothes off. The TV in the background was long forgotten. Instead, he found a spot in the ceiling to stare at.

The realization was hard to accept and Randy was still very much in shock. Cody's been in his life for over a decade…so why did it take this long for things to be in perspective?

And then there were his wife. And his daughter.

This was too much for Randy. So many questions with so many cryptic answers. Maybe Cody was right. Maybe forgetting about this was the way to go…

…

The next morning, Randy felt like absolute crap, even worst than the morning before when he'd awoken with a hangover. That day, few could have said they were in a worse shape than he was. He spent the entire night fixated in his spot on the bed. Neither his body nor mind was able to relax and just give it up to the sandman. He was so tired but couldn't sleep. Talk about being stuck in reverse.

And yet, he was determined to make things right with Cody by simply…moving past it. It was a shameful decision by his standards since Randy wasn't one to back down from anything or just run away. However, too much was at stake. His family life, his peace of mind, his sanity and his friendship with Cody... Their significance and importance were sky high in Randy's life. They were his constant. He simply wasn't ready to lose any of these elements, or, at the very least, jeopardize them.

As if they were attached by the brain, Cody was set on following the same exact plan. He'd given the subject plenty of consideration.

He'd admitted to himself that what he felt towards Randy exceeded friendship. Nevertheless, he was willing to do whatever it took to push those sentiments aside. He needed to bury them in the back of his mind so they would hopefully perish. If there was one thing he wasn't ready to lose, it'd have to be Randy's presence in his life. He was extremely grateful for it. Except, such a revelation would burn it in flames. It would complicate matters beyond repair, and he wasn't going to have it. Additionally, being romantically attached to a married person (in this case a man) was like testing deep waters with both feet. You'll drown and chances are, you'll never escape it intact. Simply put, it'd be a turn for the dangerous.

Cody had been the first one to make a move that morning, texting Randy to see where he was. Smackdown had a series of house shows that weekend, and per usual, they had intended to have breakfast in the hotel restaurant then drive to the next town in the older man's rental.

Eventually, both men met up at the restaurant. Randy was wearing his Ray-Ban sunglasses in an attempt to mask the huge bags under his icy blue eyes. He didn't want Cody to see just how dead beat he truly looked. As Cody noticed him, he flashed him a warm smile, one that was mirrored by the Missourian. He picked up on Randy abnormally wearing sunglasses indoors. Actually, he knew it was one of his pet peeves. He found it odd but didn't question it. He just made a mental note about it.

They were sat at their table and quietly picked out the plate of their choice. They stayed in deathly silence for a while before they both simultaneously spoke out.

"So…"

"So…"

They both chuckled.

"You go first." Randy said.

The smaller man grinned softly. "How are you?"

From then on, small chit-chat was made during which both men acted absolutely normal. In fact, they seemed so normal that it took both men aback. Their surprise left them at a loss for words, drawing them right back to square one. Their plan of moving on from this was clearly backfiring in their face.

Once their food arrived, they ate in it in silence, which was evidently the theme of the day. In the midst of their meal, their fingers brushed as they were both going for the salt. They lingered together for a small instant before they were swiftly pulled back. Lopsided smiles were traded. They both tried their hardest to ignore the tiny, little sparks they felt from that brief contact…

…

The drive to the next town was filled with awkwardness. Forced conversation was dropped here and there. Sideway glances were thrown around when one thought the other wasn't looking. Some went undetected, some were caught.

In all the time they had known each other, this was the first time unease interfered in their relationship. They hated it, absolutely hated it.

Over the course of the following days, the discomfort vaporized progressively. Ted had helped a lot. In an effort to appease the implicit tension, Cody suggested to invite Ted along as a travel buddy. Randy didn't necessarily like it, but he knew it was an appropriate suggestion considering the current circumstances. Truth be told, the three men enjoyed themselves together, immediately finding the good-hearted flow they had shared during their Legacy days. For a while there, Cody and Randy were finding their natural rhythm again.

That was, until it was interrupted when Ted shared the story of how he dealt with his shoulder injury. It was over a casual diner at a pub. "It was hard to find about it. As soon as I heard it pop, I knew something was up. But I just couldn't admit it to myself, you know? I tried to tell myself it wasn't real, that it was just a minor thing and that it'd pass quickly. But at the end of the day, I had to face it. I just had to. I couldn't fool myself anymore, it was useless."

As Ted was talking, the other two's glance dropped down. Even though Ted was discussing an entirely different subject, he was vocalizing, with precision, the torment that had been brewing within them since that infamous night. All of a sudden, at the same time, Cody and Randy looked up to meet the other's face. Blue eyes stared at each other profoundly. In that one gaze, a thousand unspoken words had come and gone between them…


	8. Chapter 8

After that moment in the restaurant, the tension between Cody and Randy was still looming over them like a dark cloud.

It had taken them all of the willpower they could muster in order to act somewhat ordinarily towards the other. They were so desperately trying to hold on to the friendship they had that they tried forcing themselves into acting as if nothing had been going on. They kept the fooling going. Their "normal" attitudes were opposed by a world of torment going on inside of them.

Their feelings for one another were starting to threaten to take over them and destroy them. Accepting them was difficult, since neither one of them expected to be in this situation, ever. Having romantic sentiments for another man was already confusing enough – but for each other, for their best friend…it was a whole other predicament. Complication peaked.

They tried hard to brush them off, not think too much of them. However, that task proved to be impossible. Those feelings were the center of their thoughts all the time, whether when they were alone or together. Hell, they were even in their minds even when they were in the ring, which was mind boggling to them since they were the ultimate professionals, with all of their focus strictly on their craft. Thankfully, none of that disruption interfered in their work, otherwise that would have taken their frustration to brand new highs. Even with his wife, Cody popped up in Randy's head, leaving him in his own cocoon of thoughts, distracting him from most fights, which left her very confused. Usually, Randy was one to respond to each and every single sentence. Now, he was irresponsive. She even attempted to provoke him at times, but it was all in vain. He was well and truly lost in his own mind.

The most perplexing and surprising thing to them was the depth of their feelings. Stupidity wasn't a trait of theirs. They were both aware that if they were worthless and negligible, getting past those sentiments would be a walk in the park. They'd easily find an explanation to them and put them behind. After all, they weren't ones to hold on to meaningless matters. But there lay the problem…these emotions? They couldn't overcome them. They simply couldn't, no matter how much they tried to. They couldn't shake off the sparks they felt at the most mundane of touches, they couldn't resist the pull of their lingering looks, they couldn't help but feel sad at the other's absence…quite simply? They couldn't stop thinking of each other…and not in a friendly way, either.

But they had to try to anytime they were in each other's presence.

Considering to what extent they knew each other, both men knew that it was an act. They hated that they'd come to this, having their relationship invaded by a bunch of lies and transparent pretending. If there was one thing both wrestlers valued the most about their bond, it had to be its genuine nature, how they never had to be anything else but themselves around the other, how they could just come to the other and not have to make believe. But now, that authenticity and sincerity had been sealed a kiss goodbye. It drove them insane.

And yet, despite the awkwardness, they couldn't stay away from one another.

…

They were on the plane, destination Tokyo, Japan. A three-day Asian tour was on the horizon for the Smackdown brand. The entire crew was very excited for this experience, as they loved going abroad, outside of the United States. It was a change to see different surroundings, different crowds, different cultures. That definitely was one of the pros of being a WWE superstar – one was never deprived of travelling the world.

The flight was a particularly long one, its length being especially felt by Cody and Randy who were sat side by side. Half of it was spent sleeping, the other half between comic book reading and TV show watching. At one point, they both went to grab the same magazine together, their hands therefore touching. As soon as they did, they both jumped out of their skin, leading to the magazine being dropped. A strange moment was shared, as neither man knew who should pick it up. In between muttered apologies, Randy decidedly took it and opened it, going through the pages without catching a single word. His mind was still reeling over their hands being in contact. On the other hand, Cody's insides were torn apart. Not only was the touch too electric for his liking, but at this point, he realized he couldn't handle the awkwardness any longer. It was too much. That moment right there was the extra drop of water tipping over the glass. A confrontation with Randy was a necessity. Except, he'd have to wait until they got to the hotel. An airplane was in no way an appropriate place to have such a scene.

…

The day had finally winded down to an end. Following the extensive but compelling city-sighting of Tokyo, the tedious bus drive and roster dinner in a folklore restaurant, Cody and Randy ultimately made their way to their respective hotel rooms. Cody had given the older man a heads up about going over to his room later that evening. This in itself internally raised one of Randy's eyebrows. Usually, Cody would come over without notice. Then again, nothing concerning their friendship was usual lately. Matters had been turned around for the more twisted. So, that might have been just one of the elements in the atypical series of events between them.

Cody kept pacing back and forth in his room before making his way over to Randy's. He didn't know how he'd initiate such a conversation. Was lying his way around the subject the way to go? Was backing down from it the safer option? Was ignorance truly bliss? He shrugged off that suggestion. Randy deserved better than this, and he knew it. He needed to tell him what he was feeling about the oddness of their relationship as of late, and from there, attempt to fix what used to be a perfectly good friendship. It was the right thing to do, and most importantly what he wanted to do.

Once he was set on his decision, Cody grabbed the key to Randy's room and quickly moved his feet to get there.

…

Knowing that Cody's arrival was imminent, Randy sat on the edge of the bed waiting for him. Subconsciously, his knees were trembling and his palms, all sweaty, were rubbing against each other. He was borderline more nervous than he ever was for any first date or even first match. He cynically snorted at that thought. He couldn't comprehend why he was such a stressful mess. Maybe the insurance of an actual conversation with Cody was the reason. But he figured it was rather the potential content of that conversation that had him all worked up. He desperately wanted to know what Cody had to say to him.

His sanity was grateful that the wait was over rather quickly. Cody's soft and composed entrance into the room was a big contrast from the speedy, harsh steps he'd taken in the hallways of the hotel. As soon as he laid eyes on Randy, he felt something move around in his stomach. He cursed his luck. Semblances of butterflies were certainly not the way to start such a discussion.

"Hey." The younger man uttered, flashing Randy a warm smile as he closed the door behind him.

"Hey. How are you doing?" Randy replied.

"I'm doing well. You?"

"I'm fine."

A moment of silence imposed itself between the two wrestlers. Randy broke it off when it turned for the awkward. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"Umm, yeah." Cody hesitatingly sat beside the tattooed man. "Man, I don't know how to say this…"

Randy turned to his right to face Cody and examined his face. Worry came across. Instinctively, he went for the reassuring path. "Say it."

Biting his lip, Cody mirrored Randy's posture and tilted to the left to have a better look at him. He took in a deep breath before bearing everything he wanted to. "Randy, man, I don't know… Ever since what happened in Cincinnati…or what almost happened, everything's been so weird between us, just so awkward. We're not ourselves with each other. We've been avoiding each other, almost. I mean, we've barely talked about anything lately! We don't joke around much anymore. It's just…not the same. And I'm pissed about what we've become."

Randy shot a lopsided smile to the Georgia-native before responding. In that moment, he found himself truly appreciative of the latter's care.

"I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who thinks that."

"I just wish we could move on from this, you know? Cause it's just been like a roadblock. I don't want it to interfere between us anymore." Cody claimed, as he gestured between them.

"I agree."

"So...can we get back to normal? Cause seriously man, I've missed talking to you! Like normally!"

Randy let out a soft chuckle. "Yes. We can."

"Good. Cause I have so much to talk to you about."

And from then on, if only for one night, Randy and Cody fell back into their old routine. Easy-going banter, jokes and fluid conversation filled their night. The couple of bottles of beer they both had definitely lent a helping hand. Randy talked about his regular perturbed stories with his wife while Cody shared his ever-growing concerns about the state of his career. Both men tried to comfort the other in the only way they knew how…supportiveness. Needless to say, Randy and Cody needed a night like this.

Seemingly, everything was back to normal.

If normal meant romantic feelings were hidden inside of them.

…

The next morning, the Smackdown roster met up in the hotel restaurant for a quick breakfast before heading out to do some more touristic activities around the most populated city in the world. On the outside, everything seemed to be just fine between the two friends. As a consequence, their inside turmoil seemed to fade into the shadows. Except, fading away wasn't synonymous with the disappearance of their feelings for each other. They were still very much there. Nonetheless, a renewed vigor in them obliged them to try and curb stomp them into oblivion.

But their feelings weren't about to hold up a white flag and give up the fight. Not by a long shot.

On their way back from the Tokyo National Museum, Cody was seated next to Randy right by the windows. The Missourian was looking at the beautiful metropolitan scenery and snapping pictures of it while Cody was finishing up on his collection of Batman comics. Once he was through doing so, he looked around at his fellow peers in the vehicle. They were either listening to their iPods, talking on the phone or with each other, watching a movie on their DVD players, or resting. He particularly spotted Ted DiBiase in the row right next to him. He was completely and utterly asleep. His head was thrown back, mouth agape. If he concentrated soundly enough, Cody would have sworn he'd heard him snoring. As he looked around at Ted's surroundings, he noticed a map peering right out of his bag. At the sight of it, he elbowed Randy's side, putting an end to his landscape sighting. He knowingly pointed at the map, causing both men to laugh. They both knew that whenever they traveled to a foreign location, Ted couldn't live without his map. It was almost unhealthy. He couldn't move anywhere without it, including the arena. He'd always justify himself by saying he felt lost without it and that he hated feeling like that. It had always been an uncanny fetish of his' that his colleagues had often taken advantage of. That day would be no different.

Cody gestured taking it from the luggage. Randy agreed in approval. The younger man didn't even have to be discrete since Ted slept like the dead. Besides that, no superstar or diva would question him. If anything, it would have entertained them. As he got a hold of the map, Cody quickly hid it away in his own bag. He and Randy fell in a fit of laughter once he was through. They kept imagining Ted's hypothetical reactions when he'd realize it was missing.

"He's going to go ballistic." Randy said.

"I know." Cody countered smirking.

…

Eventually, later in the afternoon, all of the personnel arrived to the Ryogoku Kokugikan arena, the site of the brand's live event. The atmosphere backstage was abuzz. From wrestlers to referees, everyone was ecstatic to be there. Performing in Tokyo, one the wrestling capitals of the world, was truly something special.

The superstars made their way to the locker room and all started to prepare. Out of habit, Cody and Randy immediately went for the bathroom stalls to change into their attires. Meanwhile, Ted started fishing around in his bag for his gear. He went on the hunt for his map but came out of it empty-handed. Panic mode settled upon him. Frantically, he started asking the other guys whether they'd seen it or not, drawing major laughter from most of them in the process. Cody, shortly followed by Randy came back to the main room to dispose of their street clothes in their suitcases. They directly observed Ted absolutely freaking out, drawing quiet but strong snickers from them both. With one hand, Cody messily folded the map and tried hiding in his palm. Loudly, he announced his departure from the room, Randy right on his trail claiming he had to go as well. They left with amusement written all over their face. Ted put two and two together and realized that the map had been with them all along.

"CODY! RANDY!" As soon as they heard Ted calling out for them, the chase began. For a heavy part of ten minutes, Ted ran after Cody and Randy. The scene was reminiscent of a kindergarten courtyard.

Eventually, the Viper found them a safe hiding place between two enormous production trucks. Amazingly, the very narrow spot fit them both. They leant their backs against either truck, very much out of breath. Evidently, laughing and running wasn't such an easy task. Their eyes were still closed as they tried to regain their breath. At the same time, they reopened their lids and took in the sight of each other.

Suddenly, their giggles faded away. The atmosphere and air changed at the turn of the dime. Their eyes settled on each other, icy grey and azure blue orbs staying concentrated on each other. Their stare couldn't be broken, even if anyone, including them, tried to. Right then, all efforts of getting their friendship back to normal were nowhere to be found. They vaporized into thin air. It was the Cincinnati night all over again. This time, however, they were not in a drunken state. There was no alcohol in their system. They were entirely sober and clear-headed. Their focus was solely directed to one another.

Their drowned feelings were swimming their way back to the surface. This was their time to dominate and express themselves. They weren't to be silenced any longer. Their battle with reason was about to be their victory.

Their gaze was pulling them in a magnet-like effect. Simultaneously, Cody and Randy started moving towards each other. The map was dropped to the floor. Goosebumps rested on their skin. The distance between their faces was thinning out. Their hands quietly made their way to the other's forearm. Their noses came into contact. Their eyes were coming to a close. And with one last half-lidded look…the very last millimeters between their mouths disappeared. Their lips touched. Soft mouths locked together for a while. Apprehensive and tender lips then started moving in the most delicate of kisses. The rhythm was slow, as though time was a forgotten notion. Soft, lingering pecks paced the kiss. Their lips were still getting to know each other, trying to take in how they felt against each other. They tilted their heads ever so gently, as the kiss turned more passionate. Their lips molded perfectly as they started latching onto each other.

Their surroundings went forgotten. They were entranced in their own world, where only they were present.

As the neighboring steps got louder, Cody and Randy smoothly pulled away, unable to keep their eyes off the other. The spell was still unbroken. Daze was still in the air.

"Cody! Randy! Where the hell are you?"

Still not backing down from Randy's stare, Cody answered back loud enough to be heard. "We're right here, Ted."

"We're right here…"

...

* * *

_Ahhhh. They finally kiss. I am super nervous about this chapter. I hope it turned out well and that you guys enjoyed reading it! Please don't forget to review to let me know what you think! :) _


	9. Chapter 9

_If you're reading this, thank you! I hope you liked the last chapter. This latest one is the lengthiest one yet, and in my estimation, it's very important for the story. That being said, I hope you enjoy it! And please, please, please **review**!_

* * *

The Tokyo house show flew right by. By some miraculous act, Randy and Cody had no distractions on their minds as they put on fantastic performances. It was as though it was just another day at the office, like nothing had ever happened. But something did.

They kissed.

In actuality, the shock momentarily sent them into a denial phase. Their brains simply couldn't register the reality of the situation. They couldn't register the latest development that had taken place between both men. That development was highly likely to change the course of everything they share.

They kissed. But this time, there was no intoxication to be blamed on. No alcohol was in their systems. It was just them, their consciousness and the storm of feelings that had been brewing inside them. The storm had struck. Their feelings had been amassed to the point where they couldn't be contained anymore. That culmination led to the perfect thunder. The same thunder that ignited sparks and electricity never before experienced by the two men. That thunder, was one simple touch of lips.

Ultimately, all things came to an end. The denial was ephemeral. Sooner rather than later, it passed. The truth hit them. It hit them like a slap in the face.

…

When the reality check came about, Cody didn't freak out. He didn't enter panic mode. He just plumped down on his hotel bed, a whirlwind of emotions running through him. But for some reason, surprise wasn't one of them. Overwhelmed? That he was. Lost for words? That he was, also. But once shock was out of the way, everything laid clearly in front of him, for the first time in a while, as a matter of fact.

What was the point of twisting and turning the truth? What happened couldn't be overwritten. It couldn't be changed. Purely and simply, he had kissed Randy Orton.

The tribulations that came with such an act were numerous and admittedly, indisputable. On a regular day, they'd be at the forefront of Cody's thoughts. They'd send him pacing all over the hotel, if that was what it took to reason them out. But on that particular occasion, they were lost in the shuffle, faded in the background of Cody's crowded mind. What stood out the most to Cody was the entirety of sensations that resulted from that kiss.

It was his first time kissing a person from the same gender. One would find it awkward and weird. And yet, that soft, innocent contact of lips had been, undoubtedly, the most amazing, awe-inspiring kiss he had ever experienced in his entire life. Despite the importance of it, he had felt this fantastic wave of peace wash over him. And, although the kiss drew undeniably powerful sparks in him, it almost had a soothing effect. It was so calm, so tranquil.

The most confusing matter to him was the manner in which they shared that kiss. It was as if he had lost all self-control. In a right state of mind, there was no way he would ever engage in such a thing with Randy, knowing all the consequences that dragged its heavy presences along. It was as though a higher power had taken over them. An out-of-body experience is how he'd describe it. He was detached from his own body and couldn't stop it from approaching Randy's, no matter how he would have tried. In fact, nobody would have been able to. It was unlike anything Cody had ever felt before.

How could he explain such a thing? And more importantly, how could he ever face Randy with the possibility that the kiss they shared didn't anger him, not even in the slightest? How could he ever tell him that it practically felt like second nature?

The answer was simple…he couldn't.

And how could he, when he was certain and positive that Randy was fuming? You didn't want to probe the Viper while he's coiling, so to speak. Nobody did. The least of Cody's intentions was to add fuel to the fire even if usually, he would be the one to extinguish it. But now, he'd been the reason it had been lit. Common sense would say to stay put. Although, common sense wasn't exactly interfering between Cody and Randy as of late…

Cody's hunch was correct. Randy was completely incensed for the reasons Cody would have expected. And more.

Randy wasn't part of the unfaithful kind. Contrary to popular belief, his playboy image was pure fiction, a total myth. He was never one to bang a ring rat in every city he visited. Far from it. He wouldn't go as far as kissing another woman, let alone touch her inappropriately. Commitment was his shtick. He never considered abandoning it despite the amplifying disconnection between him and his wife. Regardless of the numerous and severe problems he'd had with Sam, cheating on her had never crossed his mind. Maybe it was due to the feeling that betraying his wife was synonymous with betraying his daughter. She was his everything; she meant the world to him. He'd never deceit her, willingly or not. Perhaps she was the subconscious barrier between him and any possible affair.

But here he was, in the middle of the night in Tokyo, having kissed another person. And not just any person, a man. And not just any other man…it was the one man he trusted with everything, the one man who could read him like an open book. It was Cody Rhodes.

Some might not interpret a simple kiss as cheating, per se. Under ordinary circumstances, Randy wouldn't necessarily have, either. But when this particular kiss just so happened to be the most exhilarating and invigorating thrill he'd felt in seemingly a lifetime…he knew it couldn't be skipped by, not by a long shot.

No one kiss should have made him feel this way. No one kiss should have ignited this much enlivenment within him. In that languid exchange, his senses were heightened. He truly felt like he'd been transported in another universe, where he had no participating hand in. Where no aftermaths had to be dealt with. Where only he and Cody existed. No one had ever been able to incite this in him, not even his wife. And this, this is what truly sent Randy into a raging spiral.

How could have he felt this kind of rush knowing that he couldn't get another taste of it again? How could he accept the fact that it would never be morally okay to pursue such a sentiment?

He could never willingly do that.

Nonetheless, the fact that he'd even contemplate this infuriated him increasingly. Essentially, it was a self-admission. Randy's truest inhibitions wanted him to chase after the euphoric feeling prompted by the kiss. He wanted to chase after its source. Randy wanted to chase after Cody.

So to say that this confession tore at him would be a demeaning understatement. It was eating him alive. He couldn't come to terms with it, and decidedly he shouldn't even try to. In no way was it acceptable to lust after Cody, especially when he had a family back at home to take care of.

He wouldn't have it. He had to kill that desire, one way or another.

So much for saving a friendship.

…

The sun rose from its ashes. It signaled a new day. Very early in the morning, the entire crew had to get aboard on their next flight. Destination? Shanghai, China. Colleagues alike were buzzing about this trip, even if it happened to last one day. It wasn't every day you got to visit this huge Asian city. Cody and Randy would have been infected by the excitement bug as well…if their minds weren't so wrapped up about each other.

Their thoughts had swelled them up into their own mental universe to a forceful extent. Before they knew it, they were in the arena putting on their gears and preparing all the whatnots for the house show.

They hadn't uttered a single word to the other all day. Not even a greeting acknowledgement. They were seated together on the bus and plane, and yet, not the slightest glance was exchanged. They might as well have been complete and utter strangers.

The silence had been absolutely deadly. The prior week's awkwardness was a more than welcome option, at that point.

So much was up in the air, waiting to be said – too much, in fact. And so, the overload of unspoken words led to their complete absence. Talking about this fundamental turn of events was like placing a red rag in front of a bull. It was dangerous. It threatened to eradicate any remaining piece of friendship between them.

But it was a risk the ever-confrontational Cody was willing to take.

Once the electrifying show came to a close, the roster immediately made its way back to the hotel. Everyone had been exhausted, which was understandable considering the jetlag, lack of sleep, and incessant physical hurt. Cody wasn't an exception to the rule. But his own pains had to be put aside in order to somewhat fix his bond with Randy.

He stood in front of the older man's room door for several minutes. He didn't know what to say. He didn't have a game plan. He pondered about the possibility of retreating. But the Georgia-native was never reputed for being a coward. And he wasn't about to start now. All he had was his heart on his sleeve. Perhaps this was the way to go, he thought…

He opened the door to see Randy sitting on the floor, back to the bed watching TV while being surrounded by beer bottles. A couple of them were empty while the others lay unopened. The tattooed man's plans evidently consisted of him drowning his sorrows in a pool of booze throughout the remainder of the night. Cody had interrupted him, and conceivably, at a right time. Albeit being slightly buzzed by the alcohol, Randy could have still been considered sober. A conversation with him was possible. What that also implied was that Randy still governed what came out of his mouth…

"I can't stand the silence, Randy. I fucking can't stand it."

Randy tightly shut his eyes. He didn't stand up to face Cody. He didn't even look at him. In that precise moment, he wished that Cody had been an uncaring excuse of a friend, a total asshole who wouldn't have even tried to mend things in the slightest. He didn't want to do this.

"Cody…"

"No!" Cody exclaimed. "No. I know you'll say that you can't deal with this right now. And I know you have a hard time handling feelings and talking about them, but this is our friendship that's on the balance. Everything we have is on the line."

It was true – Randy did not want confront him. Because, if he did, he'd have to hurt Cody. And that was the last thing he wanted to do…ever.

"Randy, please." Cody insisted. He wasn't budging from his place. His stubbornness was accelerating the car crash. The moment when Randy would have to do what was right, ethically at least. He had no choice. Maybe getting it over with was the better path to be chosen.

"Cody, we need to...we need to…"

"We need to what? Need to what?" Irritation twined with panic settled onto Cody.

"We…we need…we need to stay away from each other for a while. Have some space."

Cody wasn't sure he was following, but really, it was more that he didn't want to accept Randy's words. "Um, what do you mean? What are you talking about?!"

"I…I can't stay around you these days. Ever since Cincinnati, weird things have been happening between us…things that should've never happened to begin with... The worst part is, we can't… we can't even control ourselves. And…and I can't do this. I can't…I can't deal with this. Alanna…Sam…I just can't. Maybe the space will do us some good."

Cody couldn't be fidgeted from his place for a few instants. It wasn't that he didn't expect such a reaction from Randy, because he did. The fact of the matter was, even though it may have all been spewed lies, every word hurt. Each one provoked a pang in his chest.

Thinking about the kiss and his overall sentiments for Randy during the previous weeks had taken a toll on him. Emotionally, he was drained. And at that point, he couldn't bring himself to fight and let out on his real feelings. His muttered response illustrated his moral state. "You're right. We need space. I'll leave you to it."

And with a swift turn of the ankles, Cody hurriedly exited the room, leaving Randy to repeatedly bang his head on the wooden plate of the bed.

Who said doing the right thing was supposed to feel good?

…

It was the pre-SummerSlam party. Everybody from superstars, divas, celebrities and paparazzi were in attendance. The venue was jam-packed. The techno music was chest-thumping loud. And yet to Cody, it went by muted. He had found a comfortable seat at the bar, seemingly content with his solitude and being closed off in his own head. As long as Jack Daniels was by his side, he needn't have worried about a thing.

It had been a week since he'd last spoken to Randy in Shanghai. He'd granted him his wish – he hadn't approached him since, and didn't even attempt to. Save for his time in the ring in front of a ruckus crowd, every passing moment bared misery. Cody didn't know what saddened him more. Was it the circumstances in which they went their own ways? Or was it Randy's absence?

That night's events kept replaying in his head over and over again. How Randy had told him that he didn't want to deal with the repercussions of their kiss. How Randy had seemed so dejected, so refuting of the entire situation. How he hadn't shifted from his position to even look at him. A passing stranger would have assumed that Cody was the last person Randy wanted to see at that moment. He knew better, though.

In chorus, the Missourian's absence had an impact on him. His days felt empty, void. Randy was a constant figure in his life. Now, that fixture had vanished. It differed from the weekends separately spent at home or Randy's suspension. In those cases, seeing Randy couldn't be done, it wasn't an available option. Distance was an obstacle that couldn't be overcome. Therefore, there was nothing he could do about it. However, at that instant, the option was available. Randy was there. He could have seen him, and he did. He was so close. But he couldn't be in his company. He was right there. But he couldn't be with him. It was like an alcoholic who couldn't get his hand on a drink.

Randy's presence was an addiction. A full-on compulsion. It truly was like a breakup, except without the actual relationship. He snickered at the thought. His desolation was borderline pathetic. Rock bottom was where he landed. How did he fall so far?

On his way to tipsiness and lost in the train of his own thoughts, he was pulled away from that road when he felt a light tap on his shoulder. A slender and petite figure made its way around him. He followed that person's trajectory, trying to guess who it was. The dim lighting made it difficult for him to identify who it was, until she stood by his side. It was none other than Layla.

Layla was his ex-girlfriend. They dated for almost a year, until they split in the most cordial of ways. Their relationship had been a stalemate and wasn't going anywhere, according to them. Friendship best described their so-called romance. So they broke it off and remained on very amicable terms.

In spite of their split, he couldn't deny the English-born diva's beauty. She scored high points in his book. That night would be no different. With a dipping, cutout black dress, Cody thought she looked beautiful. "Layla. You look absolutely stunning."

"Why thank you, Cody. I must say, you clean up nice yourself." She replied. "Let me ask you something. Why is that you look like you're about two steps away from turning emo?" Layla joked. "You know you can tell me anything."

Cody put on his bravest smile. He appreciated her care, he did. But there was no way he was letting on anything. "Ah, well. I'm just bummed out that I don't get to be on the PPV, you know?"

"Tell me about it. I'm the Divas' champion and I can't get a match on the show, either. Except, apparently, me and the other divas will dance to Kevin Rudolf's song."

"Oh my God. That song is absolutely awful."

"Hey, whatever gets me exposure, right?" They both laughed.

He longingly glanced at his fellow colleague. He found himself acting on impulse. "Hey, why don't you have a seat? It's been a while since we really talked. Drinks are on me."

And after all, who could deny Cody Rhodes?

…

Randy hated those types of events. He absolutely loathed them. The foul mood he had been in certainly didn't aid matters. All he wanted was to lock himself up in his hotel room and drink to oblivion like he had in the past seven days. If it wasn't for Ted's pestering insisting and Vince's commands of needing a superstar of his caliber at the event, he wouldn't have left the hotel.

He wore a classic tight black suit and a white collar shirt underneath, his allure resembling one of a vintage Hollywood star. He was in no mood to face the cameras though, so he settled on making his entrance in the venue after the red carpet cleared up of the photographers. Quickly shaking hands and making small talk with colleagues and stars, he set about consuming copious amounts of alcohol. Basically, his intentions were to execute his original plan in a public area. That definitely wouldn't be an issue.

As he was about to head to the bar, the sight that greeted him imprisoned his breath in his throat. He would have recognized the figure a hundred miles away. It was none other than Cody, leaning closely towards a beautiful tanned woman. He was whispering in her ear as she couldn't contain her laughter and neither could he. The both of them were beaming. She responded and he listened closely. Clearly, they were too enthralled by their conversation to notice a pair of icy blue eyes boring a blazing hole through them.

Randy couldn't make out who she was, nor did he frankly care. That scene snapped something within him. He saw red. He wanted to tear something apart, and preferably Cody. After moments of being stuck in his spot, he made a beeline for his prey.

At the speed of sound, Cody found himself being hauled from his spot by an intensely firm and rigid hand. Before he knew what was going on, he was dragged to a secluded and abandoned spot at the corner of the patio. His processing skills had been hindered due to the drinks he'd had.

As they came to a stop, he immediately realized who it was. Much to his own surprise, it was Randy. Irritation flooded him on the spot.

"Randy, what the fuck do you think you're doing?"

Rubbing his hands in front of his mouth, Randy tried his best to keep himself together. Similarly to situations in the past, that attempt failed. His composure faltered.

"What the fuck do I think I'm doing? What the fuck do YOU think you're doing?" Randy shouted.

"What? What did I do wrong exactly this time?"

Randy closed his orbs, wincing as he tried to tame his desire to cripple the younger man up. "How fucking dare you? You…you kiss me…and now I find you feeling up another chick like that?!"

Cody came apart. Yelling was the only thing he could resort to at this point. "You've got some fucking nerve, Randy. You've got some fucking nerve-"

"Yes, I-"

"No! Shut up! Shut up. You tell me you need space. Because you're mad at me. I get. So I complied. I gave you space. I left you the fuck alone. I'm minding my own business so I wouldn't upset you. And now, now you're mad about it?! Is that right? Tell me something. What gives you the right to be angry if I'm feeling up someone else, which, by the way, I did not do? Huh? What gives you the right?!"

That right there hit home for Randy. The alcohol had poured the truth right out of Cody. The latter had caught him right where it hurt, right where he couldn't counter back. Because, it was true – what gave him the right to be so riled up?

"Answer me... Answer me!"

No words could get out of Randy. He'd been put in a corner he couldn't escape. "That's what I thought." Cody ironically snorted. "I'm getting the hell out of here."

"Cody, wait!" Before he registered what he was doing, Randy caught him by the wrist and spun him around until they were face-to-face, only inches apart.

"No. Leave me alone." And on that note, Cody stormed out of the building.

…

The late hours of the night were upon Los Angeles. The infectious summer breeze was in the air, waiting to be enjoyed. Cody was standing in the balcony, staring out into the nightfall's darkness. Several hours had transpired since his departure from the party. Seemingly, the alcohol's normally lingering effects had disappeared, replaced by intense thinking. His wrath had dissolved, as well. A semblance of numbness filled him. He didn't know what to make of the situation. Where did Randy's sudden outrage come from? It came blasting out of nowhere. Then again, where did his own outrage come from? It was as though the cap on all of the past weeks' turmoil got popped open, and he just...broke loose. Cody had no answers. No solutions. He was helpless. Defenseless.

"I'm not mad at you." A deep voice startled him right out of his thoughts. A deep voice that could only belong to one man.

"I didn't realize I didn't cancel your extra keycard at the reception." Cody stated, glancing at Randy for one second before retuning his eyes to the somber scenery in front of him.

Staring out ahead as well, Randy neared Cody's side as he too leaned on the balcony rail.

"I'm not mad at you."

"I know." Cody answered, after a few moments of silence.

"I…I just couldn't wrap my head around it. Around the kiss, I mean. It was…it was too much for me. I kept thinking about Sam, about Alanna, of what it'd do to them."

Cody knew that it must have been quite the difficult task for Randy to openly reveal his sentiments. It was not his forte. So, he didn't interrupt him.

"I felt like I cheated on them, Cody. Like I betrayed them. And that didn't sit well with me. I mean, it killed me inside, because…that's not the kind of guy I am. Not anymore, at least. My family, Alanna…they mean everything to me. And then when we kissed, I…I was taken aback. I guess, I felt…guilty. Guilty, because despite everything, I couldn't understand how kissing you, for just a moment, could feel…could feel so…"

"So right." Cody completed.

"Yeah." Randy admitted.

"I know. And I get it…You couldn't cope with the realization that we were never just friends."

…


	10. Chapter 10

"I know. And I get it…You couldn't cope with the realization that we were never just friends."

"Yeah." Randy quietly admitted.

Moments in silence passed, as Cody took in Randy's out-of-character confessions. He was grateful that Randy stepped out of his emotional shell to talk about the torment that had taken over him for weeks. In return, he owed him an honest piece of his mind.

"I couldn't either." Cody stated. Right then, for the first time since Randy had joined him, both men locked eyes. The younger of the two felt the need to look away if he were to continue pouring out the thoughts he'd been burying for a while. Otherwise, the task would have been too difficult. That gaze was toxic, as it had proven to be before. Twice, actually.

"Don't think that you're the only one who felt overwhelmed by all of this, Randy. Cause, honestly? It wouldn't be fair. I mean, don't you think it's been hard for me too? To deal with all of these new feelings?" With a rub of his hands over his face, he continued. "I have never kissed another man before, let alone have this weird…connection with one. It's been…it's been so difficult for me, Randy. The worst part is, I've had to deal with this all by myself. When I wanted to reach out to my best friend so he can help…so he can be there…I had to remember that he was the reason behind all of this, all of the confusion I've felt. I've….I've been torn apart. For weeks, I have been. Ever since the night we almost kissed in Cincinnati."

From the corner of his eyes, he noticed that Randy was still eyeing him. The urge to pursue his confession pushed him to carry on.

"Look, I get that you're the one with the wife and kid. You're the one with all the responsibility, the more writing on the wall. I get it. But it eats at me too. Never, ever did I imagine I would end up in a situation like this. But I am. We are."

Randy intently looked at Cody as he spoke. He was making a good point. Randy never tried walking a mile in Cody's shoes, figuratively speaking. He never once thought of what could have been going on in his head. Of what he was feeling. That detail made him feel worse about the entire ordeal…if that was even possible.

"I guess I've been closed up in my own thoughts. I couldn't see past my head. But it wasn't in my control. Lately, nothing has been…"

He could say that again.

"So I'm guessing that little outburst of yours at the party wasn't in your control, either?" Cody quizzically asked.

"Yeah. Honestly, I don't know what took over me…it's just…one minute I see you getting cozy with some chick and the next one, I'm dragging you away."

"Sounds like the green eyed monster got a hold of someone, if you ask me…" Cody said, as he glanced at the Missourian, shooting him a lopsided smile.

Randy lightly chuckled. "Shut up."

Cody replied the snicker. He turned his head back to the scenery ahead again. Randy mirrored the act.

"We can't…we can't go on like this, Cody. We've got to control ourselves. It's not possible, otherwise..." The serious mood was back on.

Cody had a hard time digesting those words. As much as he knew Randy was correct, that acknowledgement didn't pose an obstacle to the sorrow that settled onto him. Those words? They had a certain bite to them. They hurt. They reduced him to a certain emotional fragility. But Cody knew that indeed, there was no other choice.

"I know. You're right. Too much is at stake here."

It was true. Too much was at risk. Too much was on the line. The love of danger and insanity had to be in their blood if they were to simply throw everything away…including their friendship. It may have been greatly endangered, but it was something they weren't willing to easily give up on. However, a more imposing issue lay…was it too little too late for their friendship to be rescued? Could it even be saved? Those questions were weighing heftily on their minds.

"So…what do we do now…?" Cody wondered out loud.

"I don't know."

What words could be uttered afterwards? They were at a crossroads they couldn't bring themselves to escape. They were well and truly trapped, unable to function.

The air became too heavy for their liking. It had become a pattern in recent times. The need to retreat became obligatory.

"I'm going to go now…" Randy whispered.

"Okay." Cody replied, as he preserved his stare into outer space.

Randy turned on his heel to walk out of the younger man's room. Just as he was about to step through the balcony door, something stopped him in his track. The dejection in Cody's tone couldn't allow him to just walk away and leave him behind. He was the cause of it. That gloominess took its toll on him, a gloominess that was admittedly reflected within him. To say that they were torn into pieces would be putting it mildly.

"I don't want to lose you."

Cody's head snapped at that line, as he found the other man's head turned towards him. Randy's candor had taken him off-guard. As a matter of fact, it had taken Randy himself by surprise. Those words spilled right out of his mouth. That didn't stop them from being any less truthful than they really were. Undoubtedly, spitting out feelings meant fully stepping out of the norm for Randy. Cody was completely aware of that.

"So, you won't." Cody replied, as he flashed him a warm, reassuring smile…a smile that also happened to send chills down Randy's spine.

…

Cody was waiting for Randy in the hotel lobby. The older man had told him to grab breakfast with him.

He didn't know how they were going to about this. Certainly, some things had been cleared up between them. Honesty had been somewhat restored. Sentiments and inhibitions were thrown into the air. Nonetheless, how were they going to act knowing the presence of dominating and churning feelings between them? Feelings that had to be put aside for both of their good? Together, they had to find a way to keep them at bay.

Clearly, putting distance wasn't an appropriate answer…at all. It led to combustible moods on both parts and a hot-blooded situation at the pre-SummerSlam party. That's when Cody realized that going with the flow would be a better, more effective alternative. Maybe, just maybe, they'd be led towards a right path.

Cody got shaken out of his thoughts when the sight of Randy greeted him. He longingly stared. He found himself checking him out. Talk about a perfect way to dismiss attraction.

Randy approached him and greeted him. Little did Cody know, the man in front of him also had wondering eyes for him and was mentally kicking himself because of it...

With their best poker faces on, they headed to a nearby restaurant where they got seated on opposite sides of each other. They appreciated the calmness of their surrounding environment, which was a contrast from the busy and noisy crowds they were going to be met with later in the day at Axxess. SummerSlam was upon them that night. Unfortunately for both of them, they were not booked for the show, which was right away, a topic of hot conversation. Cody wasn't scheduled to appear on the pay-per-view due to a lack of use he'd been accustomed to, while Randy was being punished for his suspension. Admittedly, no one was to blame but him. He'd screwed up, and it was only fair he got his due. On the other hand, he was furious for Cody who shared the same feeling. He still couldn't understand why he wasn't used more proficiently and why he'd been stuck in a losing battle with Sin Cara. The storyline consisted of him being obsessed with the luchador's mask. On paper, that was a great idea. However, he hadn't been victorious in any of their battles. Not a single one of them. How was he supposed to get heat if he couldn't back up any of his claims? Needless to say, the state of his career had put a great deal of pressure on Cody's shoulders…not that he needed any more of that.

They carried on with their talk about wrestling, their opinions on the SummerSlam card, the superstars themselves and the storylines included. Both men loved discussions like these. They may have been WWE superstars, but they were fans first and foremost. They were so into the conversation that they had almost forgotten there had been any issues between them…'almost' being the operative word.

Once they were through with the subject, Randy was a second away from bringing up his issues his wife. He wisely bit his tongue and kept quiet about her. He wanted to talk to Cody about her, how matters had taken a turn for the bizarre, how things had simmered down quite a bit. Subconsciously, it was due to the fact that Randy had been so distracted with his status with Cody that he just didn't bother fighting back anymore. But, speaking about her would be severely misplaced. It'd bring unease back in the air. Awkwardness would disparagingly rear its ugly head once more. So why would he do that, especially when a certain amount of normalcy had been reestablished?

Instead, Randy immediately uttered the next inquiry that came into mind. It may have not been the smartest thing to ask about, he could've attested to that…

"So, who was this woman you were talking to at the party?"

Cody coughed and choked on his coffee. That was certainly unexpected to hear. Randy caught up on his reaction promptly and found it urgent to take back his question.

"I'm sorry…"

"No, no, it's fine!" Cody quickly exclaimed as he was catching his breath. The distress in Randy's eyes was obvious, and he wanted to extinguish it. Rapidly, he found his composure. "Seriously, it's fine. You can ask about it."

"Are you sure?" Randy's hesitance was still there, but diminishing.

"Yeah. Honest to God."

After apprehensive nods of the head, Cody started the explaining. "The woman you saw was Layla."

Randy was taken aback by the answer. "Oh yeah? Layla?"

"Yeah."

Randy knew that Cody and Layla were exes. At that moment, he found himself annoyed by that piece of information, borderline irritated. Those emotions had to be brushed off, though. His friendly instincts took over.

"Oh, um, so, you've gotten close again? You know, I've been kinda out of the loop recently…"

"No, no. Last night was actually the first time we've really talked in a while."

"Oh…and…are you…interested in maybe getting back together with her? You both looked really into each other…"

The uptightness in Randy's voice didn't seize to catch Cody's attention. He softly chuckled to lighten up the mood. "Nah. I mean, she's gorgeous and all but I'm not interested in getting back together with her. We've already tried it once and it was obvious we were better off as friends. We just aren't meant to work."

"Ah, alright. I see."

Randy felt relieved to hear that. At the same time, he realized that Cody hooking up with his ex-girlfriend bothered him. In fact, Cody hooking up with any girl bothered him. That just wasn't right…

…

During the remainder of the day, Randy bid his best to mask the discomfort he'd gone through earlier. Seemingly, his attempts were working as both men fell back into a familiar groove. They'd finished their meals, headed to the gym then hit Axxess for some greet-and-meet action. It was a tiring number of hours between meeting thousands of admirers and the scorching hot weather of L.A.

Once they were done with their duties, they met back at the arena. Having gotten the confirmation that there would be no last-minute adjustments to the lineup, they decided to get drinks and food. They lodged themselves by the monitors where a few other superstars were also settled. Some had bouts later in the night while others were left out, too. They briefly chatted with Wade Barrett who they considered one of the more intriguing guys in the back. He shared his frustrations regarding the fact that he wouldn't make his return on a big stage like SummerSlam after months of injury. Creative had pondered sending out the Brit to attack Sheamus following his title defense as a buildup to an eventual feud. Evidently, that plan had been dropped.

Before they knew it, the PPV was underway. Randy and Cody were seated side by side and meticulously watched each match. They intercepted their viewing with comments regarding the performances, the wrestlers and even the crowd.

An outsider would have thought it was typical Cody and Randy.

The three hours passed by swiftly. Globally, all the superstars thought it was a very successful event with well-wrestled matchups all throughout it. It was officially in the books.

A majority of the roster stayed put in the locker room for a while longer. Cody and Randy were no exceptions. They sat in comfortable silence as they were waiting for the area to clear up. Both men were inwardly satisfied. Overall, it was one of their best days in a long time. They'd more or less resumed their old routine. Right then, they thought that perhaps, going back to the way it used to be wouldn't be impossible.

Suddenly, Randy felt his phone ring in his pocket. Not bothering to check the caller ID, he picked it up right away. As soon as he heard the voice on the other end of the line, he was on edge.

"Hey Sam."

At the mention of her name, Cody stiffened directly. Every ounce of will within him was activated in order to uphold his composed and cool appearance.

Randy found himself in a dilemma. He thought that moving further away would be a more suitable choice. However, when he looked nearby, those zones were filled with individuals. Therefore, hearing his wife wouldn't be achievable. Maybe lowering his voice would help…

But it didn't help. Not one bit. Nonchalance may have described his exterior, but in reality, Cody heard every word that Randy spoke and clung on to each and every one of them.

"Yeah, I'm fine… I'm not disappointed, no, I kinda deserve it… Oh, you didn't like the PPV? I thought it was good… Yeah, Dolph and Chris stole the show… Yes, I fly back home on Wednesday. But I'm staying for a day, though… Oh, tell Alanna that I miss her and love her too… Okay, good night. Bye."

No sign of tension. No sign of fighting. It seemed as though Randy had patched things up with Sam. And all that Cody felt were daggers through his chest.

That's when he felt like he was completely out of place, a stranger to himself. He should have felt happy that his friend was on plausible terms with his wife. Instead, he was dealt with a different set of cards that provided a mixture of anger, jealousy and guilt. Instead, a wave of resentment threatened to wash over him.

Resentment towards who, though? Towards Randy? But on what claims, exactly? The taller man had made it clear that he didn't want to compromise his family's wellbeing any longer, that neglecting any sort of attraction for one other was a necessity. He was simply sticking by his words. He couldn't reproach him anything…

Or was it resentment towards himself, rather? His romantic feelings for Randy had gotten the best of him. They had weakened him, reduced him to a low he wasn't proud of. Cody was disappointed in himself. He had lost his inner dignity, an element that he valued more than anything. His will power was what defined him. Now, looking at Randy, it had vanished. Gone with the wind.

Randy had his own life, his own family. In between their kiss and their semi-admitted feelings, he felt like he was intruding. Stepping back was long overdue…

A nudging elbow broke him out of his forlorn reverie. "Ready to leave?" Randy questioned, raising an eyebrow at Cody's noticeable distraction.

"Yeah. Let's go."

…

Cody started becoming increasingly unlike himself. Ever since that night, his mind transported him into another world which he couldn't be brought down from.

The change in demeanor didn't bolt past Randy. In actuality he was the first one to have noticed it.

A cold shoulder wasn't the correct identification of Cody's behavior. The reality differed from that. Technically, Cody responded to everything. No ignoring, no silent treatment, none of that. In appearance, he seemed completely fine. However, the look in his eyes told an entirely different story. It was as though Cody wasn't present. In body, he was very much there – in mind and soul, he wasn't. His vivacity had gone missing.

At times, he'd catch Cody drift into complete quietness. He could see him getting lost in his own sphere of thoughts and have a hard time leaving it. He'd even found himself having to literally shake Cody out of his stupor. On each occasion, Randy would be met with ocean blue orbs conveying all the melancholy and anguish in the world…

At the gym, Cody would hit the treadmill with renewed speed and velocity. At training, his extremely perfectionist side would take over. At the slightest error in execution, he would get frustrated straight away, resulting in random tantrum throws. His poise and patience had been replaced by intolerance and volatility.

Randy was becoming very concerned.

Because Cody's state wasn't getting any better.

…

Yet another edition of RAW was wrapped up. Randy enjoyed a successful night as he scored a victory alongside Sheamus in a tag team match against Alberto Del Rio and Dolph Ziggler. He was content with his performance as well as the crowd ovation he received. If there was something Randy Orton reveled in, it had to be the reactions he would emit from thousands of people going nuts.

He was on his way back to the locker room to hit the showers when he came across a startling encounter, one that forced him to stand there and watch. It was a heated confrontation between one of the road agents and Cody. A towel draped over the Georgian's shoulder as he clutched his ribs. His face was red with fury.

"What do you mean it was my fault that my ribs got squashed the wrong way?"

"Cody, you weren't in the right position-"

"I was in the right position, dammit! You shouldn't be having this conversation with me! You should see Brodus instead!" Cody's decibels were getting gradually higher.

"Can't you see, Cody? You've obviously been distracted from your matches recently! It's crystal clear to every one of us!"

"Oh, give me a break! My head is perfectly in the game, alright? God, I don't know why, but it seems like every night I'm out there I have to do something wrong! What, I never do something right? I never hit my moves sharply? I never connect with the fans well enough? Is that why for the last month, I've been booked to lose every single match I've had? Huh?!"

"Cody, you need to calm down-"

"No. No. I'm done here."

Cody didn't look back as he marched away from the agent. Randy couldn't help his feet as they brought him to chase after Cody.

"Cody…Cody!" Randy yelled.

Cody turned around to find Randy behind him. He was in no mood to talk. "What?"

"What the hell was that all about?"

"Nothing."

"Cody-"

"I said it was nothing! Now leave me alone!" Cody yelled. Not thinking twice, he quickly stormed away from the scene leaving Randy more perplexed than ever before…

…

Randy sat in his hotel room, still in shock over what transpired with Cody. He was met with a side of him he'd never seen before. He knew it emanated from a dark and angry place. Seeing this shift in Cody drove Randy crazy. What possibly could've happened to result in this? He tried putting the pieces of the puzzle together. One was missing.

He had to get to the bottom of this. Answers were desired.

Cody stood by the window, his head peering through it, feeling the breeze. The wind always had a soothing effect on him. Although on that particular evening, it wasn't. He'd still been fuming since his clash with the agent. He may have denied that he wasn't distracted, but he recognized that was far from the truth. His mind was elsewhere. Far away from the crowd, far away from wrestling. It was focusing on his ire towards himself. That mood hadn't simmered down. If anything, it intensified. His inner havoc was threatening to boil over. He wasn't sure what more could be dished out at him.

He heard his door being open and shut. He knew it could only mean the arrival of one man. The man who triggered all of these feelings.

"What do you want?" Cody bitterly spat out.

"What's going on?"

The question itself irritated Cody. He spun around to face Randy. "What?"

"You heard me. What's going on? You've been a completely different person lately!"

"God…"

"It's true!" Randy exclaimed as Cody started pacing around. "It's like you've closed yourself off in a whole other world and I can't reach out to you! Your mind is somewhere else, you get pissed off easily, you're not concentrated at work…What you've done with that official, Cody…that was unprofessional…that was so unlike you!"

"Are you fucking kidding me right now? You, of all people, are going to give me a lecture about professionalism? You, who took a shit in someone's bag before?"

"That was a long time ago."

"It doesn't change anything."

"Stop avoiding the damn question."

"Well what do you want me to say?!" Cody yelled.

Randy yelled right back. "The truth, Cody! The fucking truth! What is wrong with you? What's gotten into you?!"

Cody turned his back and ran his hands over his face. This was too overwhelming. He tried desperately, but in vain, to block out any outside voices.

"Just tell me!" Randy pleaded loudly.

He couldn't take it anymore. He simply couldn't. Hell was about to break loose. "You want to know what's going on, huh? You want to know, right?"

"Yes!"

"How about that, for a month now, I've been losing every single match I've had? How's that? Even though I work so hard to make it happen for me, to become better at everything I do, I fail. Every fucking time, I fail. I kill myself, day in and day out and I still fucking fail! Nothing I do works anymore. Nothing! Whether it's with my career, whether it's with myself, I can't do anything right! I am stuck…in every sense of the word, I am fucking stuck! It's bad enough that I've lost who I am! And that it's all because of you!"

"What are you talking about…?" Randy inquired. He feared he already knew the answer.

"I've lost who I am ever since we almost kissed. Even more so when we did kiss. And all of this…all of this is because of my feelings for you. Because my feelings for you? They intimidate me! They intimidate the fuck out of me! They are tearing me the fuck apart! They are so strong that I don't know if I can get rid of them! I've tried to ignore them. I've tried to silence them. I've tried everything, believe me. But I can't…I can't and I don't know how to! I can't control what I feel and I've never felt like this much shit before in my life. When you were talking to your wife, I felt like a fucking intruder to you…and to me too…and I don't know what the fuck to do!"

Randy stood still. It was all he could do.

"There you go. There's your answer. Happy, now? Huh? Are you happy?"

No answer.

"Leave me the fuck alone."

"Cody…"

"I said, leave me the fuck alone!" Cody shouted.

But Randy wasn't budging. He wasn't moving. There was no way he was going anywhere. Hearing this admission was eye-opening. For the weirdest reason, Randy felt a sense of liberty hit him. Caution was being thrown to the wind. No more overthinking. No more holding back. Instinct was taking over.

Randy calmly placed his hand on Cody's shoulder.

Minutes went by and neither man moved an inch.

"Cody…" Randy ever so slightly whispered.

Cody finally turned around. He gazed right through the icy blue eyes of Randy's. Their orbs never left each other's sight. They stared at one other. Gently, pulled like magnets, the space separating them was closed down. Their faces were mere inches apart. They weren't to be broken away this time – this time, they leaned towards each other. This time, they gave in. Both men were looking for a single, solitary thing.

Their mouths locked onto one other. It was like a meeting of old companions. Their lips moved together, in a tender attempt to recognize each other. Tilting their heads to the side, Cody and Randy tried feeling more of each other, more of their kiss. As the pecks got needier and more urgent, Cody pulled away.

No words were uttered. All he needed was to look in Randy's eyes to get his answer.

The lack of contact ran its course. Randy's hand went for the nape of Cody's neck, as Cody's settled on the front of Randy's shirt. Both lips latched onto each other once more, moving more frantically than before. Randy's tongue started moving over Cody's lips, taking the kiss to more passionate levels. He slowly ran it along the seam, softly asking for permission. The invitation was immediately accepted. Cody's mouth made way for Randy's tongue has it took in its taste. Right away, Randy knew that flavor was addictive. It was luring him in for more. Randy's tongue languidly caressed Cody's, which stroke right back. The sensation was overpowering. Truly unlike anything they'd ever felt before. They savored the kiss, took in all of its delight.

When the need for breath was overbearing, Randy and Cody languorously pulled away. Their blue eyes met again. Their daze was not fading…and wouldn't be soon.

No words were desired. Their eyes said all that was needed to.

...

* * *

_I literally couldn't stop writing for this chapter. I have no idea how it turned out. I'm scared to be honest, lol. Please __**review**__! It takes seconds, it lets me know how I'm doing and what you think of this story! :)_


	11. Chapter 11

Out of breath, their eyes just would not leave each other. Ocean blues and icy greys were captivated by one another, peering right through the other, holding on to each other as if their gaze was their saving support, their own kind of anchor. They were still too enchanted to be hit with a dose of reality. They were too mesmerized to sense their surroundings. Their feet had yet to touch the ground. All that remained was them, Cody and Randy. And their breathtaking kiss.

A kiss is a meeting of two lips. An intimate caress that knows a start and ending. It beholds feelings and sensations solely relying on the people sharing it. The power of a kiss can be underestimated…

The weight of words is often discussed and rolled over. Words. That's all people talk about. That's all they cling to. They can hurt just as they can comfort. They can sadden just as they can please. Words divulge thoughts…but can't reveal their entirety.

And yet, a kiss…a simple touch of mouths, can express what words cannot. The outpour of emotion can be so great, so deep, that nothing will be left to the spoken.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but a good kiss needs none. Cody and Randy's case was exactly that.

That kiss was the outflow of every fiber having rattled their beings for weeks on end. All the pent-up frustration was let out. All the stifled anger and torment were left with an opening. All the repressed lust and desire had found their escape. All the passion that they had truly felt for one another was mustered and conveyed. The intuition involved was boundless… any reserve, any self-consciousness, any second thoughts had perished into smoke.

The truth was all that persisted. Everything had been out in the clear. Up in the air.

Cody's hand hadn't left Randy's chest, as it laid there palm-first, while Randy's still cradled the back of the younger man's neck. Suddenly, their main link was disrupted, as their gaze faded away. The need to close their lids was all too imposing. The overwhelming nature of the situation was starting to take its toll.

However, they weren't backing down from each other. No distance was being established. Instead, they inched closer and took comfort in the other man's presence. They just rested their foreheads together for a while, relishing in the silence and peace of mind together encountered in that very moment. Tranquility was gladly welcomed back after a hefty absence.

The silence was wearing thin. At least for one of them…

"Cody, I…I…"

Whatever Randy wanted to say couldn't find its voice. All the attempts at articulating himself were blocked. An internal battle between his mouth and brain had ensued, leaving Randy at a loss for words.

"You don't…you don't have to say anything." Cody quietly stated.

"But I…"

"No. Don't…don't say anything. We don't have to talk… Just let me have this moment, alright? I…I know…I know it can't happen again. I know. So…let me have this moment, okay?"

Randy couldn't help but oblige to his demand, as they fluttered their eyes open and stared at each other once more…even more deeply than before, if that was possible.

The truth of the matter was Cody didn't want to cope with anything at that point. That kiss, the buildup to it had taken so much out of him, and not in the worst of ways. That moment…that moment had taken him aback with the elation elicited from it. It was one of these memories he never wanted to let go of. He needed to consolidate it, cement it in the recesses of his mind.

Words would have ruined that moment, especially considering Randy's undeniably bewildered cloud of thoughts. Any off beam, misplaced comment would have brought more hurt to the already bittersweet moment. Because, the kiss was just that…it was bittersweet. The bliss it brought was definite, unmatched, incomparable. Both men could have confirmed that. But would it happen again? In their minds, it wouldn't. It couldn't. It was wrong…even though it felt so right.

Therefore, Cody knew words weren't needed. They would strike the false chord, no matter what they were, whether it was what he wanted to hear or not. Factually, Cody wanted Randy to replicate his confession, to tell him that he was all he thought about, to tell him he wanted him just as badly as he did. And yet, what if he had uttered just that? What if his emotions were reciprocated? Would have it helped matters? Would have it soothed Cody? Not in the slightest…in fact, it would have made things that much more difficult. To know that Randy felt the exact same way and not be able to pursue anything with him would have torn him apart.

On the other hand…what if Randy wasn't in the same place as he was? What if that kiss had been a flash of absurdity brought on by the spur of the moment? He wasn't sure he could have handled that.

Silence was everything. Silence was rightly golden. He might as well have cherished the moment while it lasted.

In between muttered goodbyes and tentative glances, Randy returned to his room and wallowed in the upshots of his cowardice. He was angry with himself, angry that he choked on what, he felt, was needed to be said.

Cody's invigorated outburst had lit him up. A burning veil was in his sight, a sight that, was, enigmatically, more unblemished than ever before. It pushed him to the limits of his desires, pushed him to do the only thing conceivable at that precise moment. And that was to kiss Cody.

Everything was clear to him in that second. Why? Because, everything Cody had come clean with matched his own state of mind. Every bit of craving, anger, fear was reflected in him. In the process, Cody had implicitly dressed the perfect portrait of Randy's inner mayhem. And that comforted him. It somehow made him feel safe.

That kiss was Randy's way of sharing the sense of security he'd gained. Did it work, though? Was it enough?

No. At his incapability of declaring his reciprocation of those emotions, Randy saw the flicker of uncertainty in Cody's eyes. They were telling the whole story for him. Fragility was dancing around in those beautiful blue pools he easily got lost in.

It was as though his tongue censured his thoughts. He knew what he wanted to say, he really did. And yet, despite that, nothing came out. Nothing. He figured that the remaining shreds of common sense had been behind that, the very last scraps of his resolve. However, his resolve was bound to crumble. It already was. Randy wasn't even sure he had the power to stop it from wearing out. And he wasn't sure he wanted to, either…

It was scary. Intimidating, like Cody had said. But those were the facts. This was the conflicting reality he was living.

…

The next morning, the crew was en route to Bakersfield, California for the tapings of Friday Night Smackdown. The roster couldn't wait for the show to come and go. In between travelling to East Asia and all over the United States for successive weeks with barely any breaks, they had been exhausted. They were given the opportunity to travel back home for a couple of days before hitting the road once more on Saturday. It was a negligible amount of time; but they'd take it. It beat having no days off. However, Cody and Randy didn't seem to bother or care. No matter where they were, it'd all be the same. Their minds would still run rampant and tire the hell out of them. The distance wouldn't change that fact. In actuality, it'd amplify it.

They were thankful that the drive to Bakersfield had been with a group of other people. It was quite the uncomfortable situation. For guys who weighed over 200 pounds and stood over six feet tall, they were like sardines in the back of the car. It was just another day and another woe of the gig life, they guessed.

The ride was overall thoroughly quiet. Even though the sitting was tight, some were listening to music and trying to relax, others had found just enough space to fall into a profound slumber, while Cody and Randy shut their eyes trying to mimic the latters. Futilely, of course. Sleeplessness had been a new found companion of theirs.

As a result, fleeting stares between the two men were stolen left and right. It was as if they had been each other's magnet. They were incessantly luring in one another. Both Cody and Randy felt the weight of eyes on them, watching them, poring over them ever so cautiously. They knew who those eyes belonged to. It may have felt a burden, but it was a burden they wanted. A burden they needed. Whether they wholly realized it or not, they wanted each other's attention.

Cody unconsciously kicked it up a notch. As Randy threw a sideway glance his way for what felt like the hundredth time, he lifted his head and caught him halfway. He wouldn't drop his gawk. And neither would Randy. They didn't withdraw until Ted, who was behind the steering wheel, repeatedly called for them asking if they wanted some food from the gas station. Luckily for them, every other passenger was in a world of their own as they barely paid notice.

Throughout the rest of the day, it seemed that gravity had a peculiar plan for Cody and Randy. It had been pulling on them. Regardless of their efforts of avoiding each other at the arena, karma wouldn't have it. They kept bumping into each other at every turn, each one bearing slow and admittedly prolonged touches. Whether it was a meeting of arms in the catering room or a lingering brush of bodies at the doorway, neither man failed to miss the goosebumps emitting from the contact, catalyzing even more emotion, notably attraction. The attraction that was there was inevitable, leaning on inescapable. Progressively more, Cody and Randy seemed to take in the other's appearance…and enjoy it. Attraction lead to fantasy… and an accentuated amount of voices inside their heads screaming for more.

The concerning factor was, the voices pointing out the wrong in the situation were slowly getting muted and more importantly, forgotten… were they worth remembering, though? Was morality supposed to, or expected to take a stand?

The two superstars tried to put aside their rain of perplexity, if only momentarily, to focus on the job at hand…wrestle and entertain the thousands in attendance at the show.

Cody was pleasantly astounded when he was told he was not being used for Superstars, but for Smackdown. It came as a surprise given his heated square-off with the road agent. By then, he thought he'd bought a one-way ticket to the almighty doghouse. Instead, it appeared as though Vince McMahon, who was informed of that confrontation, was impressed with the way the youngest of the Rhodes family stayed true to his conviction in his craft. Consequently, he'd ordered the creative team to book Cody as well as his feud with Sin Cara allowed them. The pitched idea consisted of sending Cody out to ringside for commentary during the masked superstar's match, cost him the victory and attack him afterwards. The plan was validated by Vince and was all set.

It was by far and away, the best news Cody had received all day.

His first instinct was to find Randy and inform him of that development. As a matter of fact, that reaction was so automatic that he'd reflexively started searching for the Missourian. That was, until his mind reminded him of where they stood and stopped him dead in his track. Fixated in the same spot, Cody glanced at the ground and lividly shook his head. This was not the right time to have this mentality.

He was finally getting an opportunity to recommence the buildup of his character and garner himself a good amount of heat like he knew how to. He fully intended to maximize on the minutes he was given to do the best job possible and hopefully, impress the higher ups. In order to do so, he needed to shake off any distraction, which in essence meant any thoughts of Randy. Those had to be abandoned at the curtain call.

Contrarily to the previous week where he'd been in another sphere, Cody tapped into his consummate professionalism and succeeded to do so.

When Cody got his cue, Randy was in the locker room oblivious to anything having to do with the Georgia-native. He was rummaging through his bag, on the hunt for his wrist tape. He'd just been involved in the opening promo where he demanded a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship. He'd gotten out of that segment with a number one contender's match with Alberto Del Rio. Unfortunately for the Viper, he'd been scheduled to lose this bout, as management estimated that it was just too soon to insert him back in the world title picture. Randy was fine by that, since not only was Del Rio a talented individual in his book, but he also somewhat agreed with that point. All in due time, he believed.

Per habit, he had his back to the entire personnel inside the locker room. Luckily for him, it was quite void of people, as a majority was located in catering.

He finished with his stretching ritual when he set about taping his wrists. As he was carefully wrapping them, something got a grasp of his attention straight away. It was the one voice he'd been longing to hear the most, the one who'd often soothed away his pains…Cody's.

His head immediately snapped back as he spotted the nearby monitor. He quickly understood that Cody had been on commentary for Sin Cara vs. Heath Slater. Randy promptly dropped any task at hand and took a seat on the bench in order to watch. His first impression was positive. Rustiness wasn't an issue as Cody's poise and talent on the microphone shone through. However, his critical approach to his viewing was dusted away the moment the camera got a shot of Cody. He didn't know what it was; Cody was modestly wearing his 'Rhodes to the Future' shirt. But for some reason, he couldn't tear his eyes off of him. Perhaps, it was the fact that he looked amazing. Perhaps, it was the fact that he could liberally stare at him and face no repercussion…

He watched as Cody humorously cost Sin Cara his match by turning his mask around then decimated him. The beat down was downright vicious, as Cody was hell-bent on ridding the high flyer of his mask. It was done just right, evident by the major boos directed at the second-generation star.

Randy's instincts were to meet Cody on his way back from the ring. After all, it had been his best night in quite some time. He felt it necessary to just be there for him. It was the right thing to do…not to mention it was what he wanted, as well.

Cody made his way towards the back, extremely happy with himself. His angle with Sin Cara was executed to perfection and furthered the storyline as expected. Above all, despite his noticeable absence from television, loud "Cody sucks" chants were ringing throughout the arena in response to his actions. He inwardly smiled to himself – he sure had missed getting booed out of arenas.

Beaming, he confidently strolled backstage, being greeted by the last man he had expected there. And, judging by the lack of people around, he was only there for him. Why did his stomach have to flip a couple of times as a result?

"Randy…" Cody hesitantly said.

"Cody." Randy replied with a warm smile. "You did really well out there."

"Oh yeah? You think so?"

"Yeah, you really did." Randy nodded. "You got the crowd pretty riled up, huh?"

"I think so. Bakersfield loves me."

They both chuckled, both loving a bit too much the smile on the other's face, leaving them again with a shortage of words. Awkwardness threatened to reappear. Randy refused to let that happen. He'd had enough of that for a lifetime. "I'm gonna go warm up for my match now…so I'll catch you later, yeah?"

"Um, sure."

"Again, great job." And with that, accompanied by a pat on the back, Randy strode by Cody who couldn't help being dumbfounded by the absurdity of everything.

…

Following the conclusion of the show, a couple of colleagues suggested that a group of them should spend the rest of the night at a bar to cap off what had been a grueling week. The men included in those plans were Wade Barrett, Ted DiBiase and Kofi Kingston, men who Cody and Randy had come to coexist with. And, since neither man had anything better to do than lounging around in their rooms with booze, they accepted the offer. Maybe, just maybe, staying out would appease them a little bit.

As it turned out, that wasn't the case. At all.

The wrestlers all settled at the bar and ordered their respective drinks. They had all commonly decided to tone it down with the consumption as none of them were ready to deal with a hangover the next day when traveling home. On the top of that list were Cody and Randy, who both had flashbacks of their embarrassing drunken stupor at the Cincinnati bar. An encore was out of the question.

Laid-back conversation filled the air as all five men were enjoying this easy-going night. It certainly helped that, unlike most situations backstage, nobody had beef with the other.

The real headline of the night though, was Cody's unquestionable success with the ladies. Woman after woman came up to him, trying to cozy up with the WWE superstar with pretty expected and corny flirting. He was drawing them in like an ice cream man on a hot summer day.

"Cody, my man, you are on a roll tonight!" Kofi exclaimed.

"What can I say, man? Chicks dig the lisp." Cody joked.

However, with all the politeness in the world, he rejected each and every one of them. Truth be told, he was not interested in playing Casanova and being the ladies' man that night. It simply didn't interest him.

That fact didn't go unnoticed by any of the guys in his company…especially Randy who was eyeing the entire ordeal with a frown. He caught up on Cody's demure smile, one that didn't reach his eyes, every time he turned down a girl. He knew Cody was not into hooking up with ring rats. He never had been. However his total and categorical reluctance was certainly eyebrow-raising material. He wondered if he had anything to do with it…in fact, he hoped he did…

While Cody's continuous refusals satisfied Randy, it appalled the other men at the bar. By the time the sixth girl had come and gone, Wade wouldn't take it anymore.

"You have got to be kidding! This is the sixth lass you've said no to!" Wade stated with a slam of his glass.

Cody laughed. "Dude, I don't want a ring rat!"

"We're not saying you should bang all of them, just give one of these girls a chance!" Ted intervened.

"That's it. You're talking to the next chick that comes along." Wade asserted.

"But…"

"No buts, Cody! You are talking to her and that's the end of it."

"Fine, fine!"

Randy's frown turned into a scowl, as the other men's encouragements were getting on his last nerve. Why were they pushing this? He was hoping they'd leave Cody alone about this…and not for selfless reasons. Moreover, he no longer wanted women slutting it up to Cody. But, judging by the night's events, he knew that was a far cry. His fears had been indeed funded. Before he knew it, another girl approached the younger man. He so desperately wanted her to have a turn at being pushed away by Cody. But, being a man of his word, Cody didn't. He actually gave her a shot.

Unbeknownst to him, Cody was being the subject of Randy's scrutiny. The older man was directing daggers at him. He looked over to the young lady ahead. Admittedly, she was cute, which made it that much harder for Randy to watch. The worst part was, the discussion dragged on…and Cody seemed to enjoy it.

Much like at the pre-SummerSlam party, anger and hindrance filled Randy. He couldn't stand witnessing the scene. It had been hard enough to observe Cody attracting an obscene amount of women all evening long. It left him feeling fragile.

Cody could have any woman in the world, at any given time. They were basically falling at his feet, lusting after his every move. He was aware Cody was caught up on him…he knew that for a fact. However, moving on from him would have been a walk in the park. He just had to say the word…

The truth was, Randy didn't want Cody to move on from him. He just didn't.

Feeling extreme discomfort, Randy rapidly excused himself and headed for the bathroom. Time alone was compulsory. From far aback, he looked back to see Cody still engrossed in the conversation with her. Seemingly, he didn't even notice Randy had dismissed himself…until Cody glared right back at him. Cody had basically ignored the girl at the drop of a dime and left her hanging.

Feeling like an outsider for a few moments, Randy continued his trajectory to the men's room. The dejection on his face had moved Cody. Randy looked…hurt. And he hated seeing that. Absolutely hated it.

That sadness only pushed him to do the inevitable. Turn his back on the woman.

Getting all this attention from a large amount of women was nice. Under normal circumstances, Cody would've even enjoyed it. But how was it possible when the real object of his desire was less than ten feet away from him? How could he, when the only person he wanted was looking as depleted as he'd ever seen him? Cody couldn't overcome those feelings, and he'd accepted that. And until he was able to, distracting himself with other ladies was pointless.

…

After a few hours squandered at the bar, all five men made their way back to the hotel. During the whole ride back, Cody was still getting shit from his coworkers about his countless wasted chances with good-looking women. Wade kept insisting that Cody's attitude was complete "bullocks".

One by one, each superstar was dropped off at his respective floor. Each one bid his goodbyes and headed for his own room.

"Goodnight guys." Kofi stated, leaving Cody and Randy alone. In the elevator.

As fate would have it, Cody and Randy stayed on the same floor, in the higher ones of the hotel.

So much was waiting to be said. So much haunted the air like a dark cloud. Randy wanted to pour everything out of his soul. Cody desperately wanted to inquire about Randy's clear sorrow at the bar. They could've sworn they were on the verge of speaking. However, no look was shared. Not even the slightest glance was thrown around. They just kept staring ahead at the wooden door of the elevator, until they reached their destination.

Ultimately, the doors opened and both men walked out. They stood still for a while, neither knowing how to go about this.

"See you, Randy."

Cody turned his back to Randy, trudging disappointedly towards his room, feeling an entire weight fall down on his shoulder. He fondled around in his pocket to fish out his key card.

Randy watched him go. All he wanted was to spin him around, apologize, and stop him from leaving. His body betrayed him, though, as it didn't cooperate, didn't move, not even an inch.

This is what it was for Randy…a self-betrayal. A betrayal of his body against him, a betrayal of his mouth, a betrayal of his reasonableness against him…

He was beyond frustrated. Beyond furious. As soon as he got a taste of what it felt to be on the figurative cloud nine, he'd backed down. Or worse…as soon as he knew what he truly wanted, he couldn't act upon his desires. He couldn't. The thorns of the situation fled him and he couldn't get a hold of them, or himself. What if he'd missed out on getting what he coveted?

Surrendering to his weakness, Randy finally managed to get his feet on the move. Shoulders slumped, he turned on his heel to return to the confines of his room. He traversed the hallway, and walked by Cody's door…only to find it slightly creaked open. He stopped in contemplation.

Suddenly, a new-found adrenaline rush ran through his veins. His ire spiked once more, reaching new highs. His desire coursed through him. Here laid a window of opportunity…perhaps his last one.

Before he realized what he'd been doing, he stormed through the door. Cody, in absolute tremor, shot up from his seat on the edge of the bed. Like a man possessed, Randy shut the door fiercely and headed for his prey.

Still caught off-balance, Cody's brain wasn't registering what had been transpiring.

"Randy, wha-"

Cody did not get to finish his sentence as Randy backed him to the wall by the door and pinned him to the spot.

Alarmed, Cody sought after Randy's eyes, trying to decipher any giving sign. He could've sworn they were a little darker than usual…

"Randy-"

"I'm tired of fighting this."

Without any preambles, Randy dashed forward and claimed Cody's lips in a hard, rough, heated kiss. It took Cody all of three seconds to comprehend what had been happening before responding back. He applied the same pressure as Randy in what threatened to be a bruising kiss. Gasping at the same time, both tongues darted forward and a battle of dominance ensued – a battle Cody happily submitted. Randy's tongue invaded the younger man's mouth as it heavily and slowly swept over his teeth and gums. Moaning and craving for more, Cody moved his tongue in order to draw Randy's back and feel it against his'. Randy complied immediately as both tongues deeply massaged one another.

Brusquely, Cody tore his swollen lips away, both pair of eyes locking in an intense gaze straight away.

"Finally."

* * *

_It was very challenging to write this chapter. Not only in terms of time but in terms of how I wanted it to go! I really hope you liked this chapter! Hopefully, I'll be able to update the story one more time before the end of the year. Please __**review**__ to let me know your opinion about the plot so far! :)_


	12. Chapter 12

_Hey guys! I hope you all spent a very merry Christmas with your loved ones! On the same note, I'd like to wish everyone a happy, happy new year! Hopefully 2013 will only be filled with success, joy and good health for all of you. Stay safe this holiday season and enjoy it!_

_What I also hope you'll enjoy is this new chapter of the story. So please let me know what you think of it with a review. Thanks for reading and again, happy new year! :)_

* * *

The assault of each other's lips resumed as quickly as it was paused. Randy's hands immediately targeted the back of Cody's head while Cody's settled on his waist, pulling him tighter to his own body. The need for closeness was all too consuming. Heads tilted back and forth as mouths devoured each other mutually. Tongues wrestled, twisting and turning together, desperate for more touch and feel.

Cody took control of that battle as he thrust his tongue into Randy's willing cavern. In one painfully slow and languid movement, he wantonly swiped his tongue over Randy's, drawing in the process a deep, guttural groan out of him. Cody's wanderings were halted for a second as he took in what probably was, the hottest moan he'd ever heard in his life.

Both men gasped simultaneously against each other's mouths, the edge of their lips barely, but still firmly holding on to each other. Cody took advantage of those few instants to get a hold of his breath. However it got hitched in his throat when Randy's mouth abandoned his' and moved onto the tender skin of his neck. Peppering kisses all over it, Randy smirked in contentment when he heard the raspy sounds flowing out of Cody's mouth. The younger man's eyes shut tightly as he absorbed the immense pleasure emanating from Randy's ministrations. Randy's mouth then adopted a more forceful approach. The sweet, brief caresses on Cody's neck were replaced by lips latching onto every bit of exposed skin in sight. Randy sensually kissed and licked at the velvety soft surface, grazing his teeth over it when he bit and nipped at his collarbone. The Adam's apple was particularly calling out to Randy, practically luring him. With great intent, he took his time sucking on it, all the while massaging the nape of Cody's increasingly relaxed neck. Cody was melting in Randy's hold of him, reaching euphoria levels he'd yet attained, as moan after moan spilled out of his agape mouth, moans which Randy was relishing in entirely. To say that the both of them were turned on would have been an understatement.

Worried that he'd be unable to control himself much longer, Cody roughly placed his hand on the back of Randy's head and pulled him off of his neck, just about having to tear the contact off.

He cradled Randy's face up to his level, staring long and hard into the lethal eyes of the man opposite him. He planted his plump lips against Randy's in a slower, more delicate kiss than before, all in an effort to convey the burning passion running through his veins at that moment.

Progressively, the kiss left the innocent side as it turned toxic. A lot more toxic. The game of tonsil hockey was reaching dangerous levels. Their tongues were incessantly rubbing and exploring the other's mouth, urgently attempting to memorize every pixel of it. Every corner, every curve, every dent. Both men were losing every single bit of control left in their system. Just as the last parcels of awareness hit Cody, he reluctantly pulled away. Not to mention that the need for air in his lungs was an impassable necessity, as well.

Cody and Randy were left breathless messes. Ajar, swollen lips decorated their faces. Chests heaved as they frantically inhaled oxygen. Lids hid two pairs of blue orbs. They stood there for a while, unable to move. Their minds mightily reeled and whirled over the mind-blowing make out session that had just taken place.

Lustful messes. That's what they were. The beast had been unleashed. That beast, was their desire for one another. Never had they been so desperate to be near a person, simply be with them, have contact with them, touch them.

They both chanced a look at each other once they regained a certain measure of their composure. Any tentativeness was whisked aside when mirrored grins lit up their slightly winded expressions.

In that place and time, no hints of regret were present. No semblances of remorse could have been detected. No repentance or shame burdened any thoughts. No stops were going to be put to this ride. Cody and Randy knew exactly what they wanted. More than ever.

"I don't wanna fight this. Not anymore." Randy asserted.

"I don't want to, either."

"We don't have to fight this anymore, then."

Cody ventured a deeper stare into the older man's eyes, decrypting what rested in the older man's mind. Despite his doubts, all he could uncover was honesty. Pure, unadulterated truthfulness. And yet, Cody couldn't bring himself to believe that statement. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. All he knew was that it still didn't feel real. It didn't feel true. Because, quite frankly, it felt too good to be true.

"Do you mean it?"

"I wouldn't have gotten into the room like a madman and pounced onto you like that if I didn't mean it."

"I guess... It's just…"

"It's just what?"

Cody shook his head and lowered it, only to have it brought back up by Randy's finger on his chin. Evidently, there was no running away after this night. The time of dodging the truth had run out…

"I want you, Randy." Cody's candor took them both by surprise…and not in a bad way. Therefore, Cody wasn't about to stop. "I want you. I want you and…I can't have you just throwing out words, and just...I just need you to back them up…I need you to be sure about this, cause I can't…no, I won't-"

"Cody, stop."

Realizing he'd gone off the rails and entered rambling mode, Cody fell silent.

"I'm sure. I've been sure for a while now…in fact that's why I've been losing it. I've practically gone insane because of how much I want this. So yeah, I know I want this. I know I want you."

Randy didn't spill out any emotions easily. When he did, odds are, the need to express them was compulsory, borderline essential. For that reason, the emotions he let out on were never misleading. Never deceitful. Never dishonest. And both men were acutely aware of that.

Consequently, a sly, lopsided smile crept up Cody's face. Security was reinstated in him. The fragments of uncertainty and reservation were pushed into a dark corner of his mind. They were safely hidden in its shadows. They were locked and thrown at sea. They had to be.

…

Departure days are always agitated in the world of a WWE superstar. They can always be found rushing, hurriedly packing their belongings, barely able to grab some breakfast, hopping frantically aboard coaches, running through the countless terminals of the airports all in an effort to make it to the next city in which they'd be performing. However, on the rare days where they get to go home, their mornings are a lot more laid-back. Each wrestler has his own flight, which in return means no commitment to any co-worker and a full liberty to organize themselves according to their own, free will.

The timetables from a superstar to another can vary quite a bit, though.

The day following that tumultuous and lust-filled night between Cody and Randy bared different schedules for both men. Cody's plane back to Atlanta left in the morning while Randy's to Saint Louis was later in the afternoon, leaving them hardly any time to see each other, let alone converse.

In fact, the only time they laid eyes upon each other happened to be in the lobby, as the younger man was in the midst of checking out from the hotel. Randy was headed towards the indoor restaurant, more relaxed than usual given the lack of habitual urgency. As he mindlessly strolled by, he noticed Cody on the other side of the hall. He was flashing a charming smile to the receptionist, returning the key to his room, looking as amazing as ever… Hypnotized by that grin, he thoughtlessly walked towards it.

Having wrapped up the task at hand, Cody felt heavy eyes watching him. Brushing it off, he went to pick up his duffle bag and finally get going. However, the same eyes that'd been boring through him felt progressively heavier, to the point where they became a hindrance, a roadblock. Cody couldn't help but feel a tad annoyed, to which his state of tiredness contributed. These eyes were approaching him, getting increasingly closer. Cody's interest peaked unwittingly. He didn't know who to expect. Furrowing his brow, he ultimately looked up. His stomach flipped and flicked at the sight of the only man his eyes would have accepted seeing right then.

Happiness swamped him as he realized Randy didn't shy away and ignore him as he would have during the course of the previous week, especially following their confrontation a couple of nights back. A sign of improvement, perhaps? That hope and joy were illustrated by a genuine smile gracing Cody's features. Its contagious warmth spread through Randy, who couldn't control a smirk of his own to break out. Thankfully, he found his voice straight away.

"Hey."

"Hey yourself."

"So, umm, you leave now?"

"Yeah. I don't exactly hit the restaurant with my suitcases, now do I?"

Randy snickered. "I guess not." Cue a few seconds of silence... "When's your flight?"

"Let's see…" Cody responded, checking his watch. "In roughly an hour and a half."

"Oh. In not much time, then."

"Yeah."

Both men just kept looking at each other for a while, wordless. The lack of talking couldn't be quite characterized by the awkwardness that had filled the air between them in recent history. It was just blatant staring. That was all there was to it. And seemingly, both Randy and Cody discerned it, evident by the latter's knowing smile.

"I should get going."

"Yeah, yeah. You should. You'll miss your flight. And we wouldn't want that."

"No, we certainly wouldn't. So, yeah. I'll see you around."

There was so much more they wanted to say. So much more they wanted to do. They didn't want to let each other go like that, especially after a night in which they decided to unchain themselves and break free from their inhibitions. Separation was upon them less than a day following their mutual decision to live out whatever desire they held for one another. Their lack of luck was internally cursed.

Cody lifted up his luggage and set about turning his back to Randy en route for the premises' main gate. His tracks were put a stop to.

"Text me when you land." He heard the incomparable deep voice say a little bit too loudly. Afraid his tone came across as too desperate and clingy, Randy added, "…if you want to."

Smirking, Cody titled his head. "I will then."

…

He didn't mean to text him so late.

The flight back to Atlanta was lengthy and tedious. It was expected given that Georgia and California were located on opposite sides of the country.

Cody spent the majority of the time attempting to fall into a slumber. And yet, each and every time he shut his eyes, the events of the previous night would replay in perfectly vivid colors, his closed lids providing the black film screen. In spite of himself, he was enthralled.

He'd been involved in countless intimate moments in his life. Some were more memorable. Others were just down right steamy. He'd had a taste of a number of stunning girls, he had to admit. He'd been lucky in that department. And yet, the most awe-inspiring make out session he'd yet to have was delivered to him at the hands of another man. Randy Orton. Recalling the heat radiating from it engrossed him. How could it not? The deluge of passion emitting from it overwhelmed him. Never did so much want and so much need tangle with a single kiss he'd ever shared.

It was all he could think about all trip long, from aboard the plane to the drive back home.

Somewhere during the early evening, after a few necessary errands, Cody finally got the chance to plop down on his couch. Bowl of pasta in hand, he decided to spend the rest of the night in. There was no way he was getting out of the house. He simply had no energy in the tank left to be mustered. Especially for social encounters.

Enjoying the coziness of his own home, he placed his feet over the coffee table and turned the TV on. His favorite show might as well have not been running. The only screen harvesting Cody's viewing was the one of his phone. In fact, it had been the object of Cody's scrutiny for hours on end.

He was desperately waiting for one text message. A solitary text message from the man who'd consumed his every thought. That text message never arrived, though. On multiple occasions, his screen lit up, signaling a new addition to his inbox. To his chagrin, it'd either come from someone else or…that screen never even lit up to begin with. The new notifications were only a figment of his imagination…or illusions, rather.

Why was he expecting a message so badly? Randy was probably too busy spending some time with his wife and daughter and simply being in their company. Therefore he did not have time to type away and distract himself from them. For all he knew, Randy might've not been anticipating a sign of life from Cody at all. But then, Cody remembered explicitly that the older man asked him to text him when he landed. A little too eagerly, in fact. So, was Randy throwing the ball in his court? Was Randy leaving him the margin to make the first move? It might have well just been the case… But then again, could've it been just a matter of Randy throwing the culpability on Cody if nothing ended up happening? That definitely wasn't like Randy…

His extensive knowledge of the Viper's personality was manifestly thrown out of the window.

He loudly sighed. He knew he was overthinking, overreacting. He knew it. On the other hand his paranoia was beyond his control. Taming it had proven to be useless.

That train of thought just kept on going, even well after he'd transported himself to bed and the clock had struck midnight. He remained motionless in bed, sleeplessness lulling him in, stuck in the same mental place. He was exasperated. Overly sick of his fearfulness. He hated feeling like a coward, because in essence, that wasn't him. The real Cody took risks, took chances.

Figurative bricks fell on Cody's head in what seemingly was, a moment of enlightenment. He urgently reached for his phone and texted away. It was only after he'd pressed the 'send' button that he realized what time it was. 1:10 AM. Momentarily, he felt remorseful. Late-night texting certainly was reminiscent to a sneaky mistress' actions. But he could have frankly attested to the fact that he did not intend to contact him then. He was too caged by his incessant and, at times, delirious reasoning to the point where he really lost track of time.

He didn't mean to text him so late. He really didn't.

Besides, what were the chances that Randy was still awake for it to make a difference?

Slim to none at all, he thought. But, in reality, they were as high as they could be.

Over in St Louis, Randy was fixated to the same spot in bed. He had been for hours. After ceaselessly tossing and turning and disturbing Sam's snooze in the process, he'd given up on the idea of sleeping. His insomnia didn't differ from the preceding weeks…and neither did its catalyst.

He checked his phone whenever he got his hand on it, practically stalking the living hell out of it. He was confused, puzzled. He didn't get it. Why hadn't Cody reached out to him yet? He'd told him to text him. Plainly and loudly, too. And yet, despite that, he hadn't heard from him all day long. He considered calling him, to quickly see how he was doing. What if something serious had happened to him? After all, the absence of contact was unlike Cody. In all the previous instances in which Randy had told him to message him, he'd complied.

But who was he kidding? He knew that the current situation had deviated completely from before. Miles separated both phases. The past and present couldn't be written on the same page – they represented different chapters separated by a major transition. The transition from just friends to being more. Therefore, could he blame Cody for not meeting his wishes this time around, especially if he didn't want to? But could it be? Did Cody not want to talk to him to begin with? That couldn't be it… Perhaps he was simply too busy.

Convinced with this assumption, Randy solely wanted to shut his mind off and get a hold of a few hours of sleep. But every time he'd neared dozing off, his thoughts drifted right back to Cody and what he was doing, glinting ever so slightly…and he'd be back to square one. Wide awake. And he apparently had no hand in changing that.

His phone vibrated on the bedside table. Thinking it was one of the countless tweets he received per minute, he chose to ignore it. However, when it buzzed a second time, he realized it was most likely a text message. Who could have possibly wanted something from him at this time of night? Shifting on his side, he reached for the gadget. The beat of his heart quickened as soon as he saw its sender.

'Hey. Sorry I didn't text you all day. I got caught up on some stuff…but I'm in Atlanta now.'

Making sure his wife had been sleeping safely and soundly over his shoulder, Randy didn't waste a second's motion before hurriedly typing back a response.

The sound of buzzing put an abrupt end to what was seemingly the beginning of Cody's slumber. He'd finally been at peace with his own consciousness following his decision to contact Randy. A temporary mental break was deserved, in his estimation. Grumbling, he mindless grabbed his phone, lit up its screen and near jumped off of his spot when he realized what it had been. A reply from Randy. Drenched with excitement, he unlocked the device and read what the reply disclosed.

'Figured. It's fine. How are you?'

Speedily, he answered. 'I'm good. Why are you still awake?'

'Dunno… I've been thinking about some stuff. What about you?'

'Same here.'

'Are we thinking about the same thing?'

'Depends…what's on your mind?'

'Ah. Can't say. It's a secret.'

'Hold on a sec…I thought you didn't keep secrets from me.'

'I think this is better off as a secret.'

From then on, the texting kept on going. Rare were the moments when the phone was kept down. Over the course of the succeeding couple of days, the messages were never ending. A few phone calls even got stolen here and there. The prolonged continuity didn't go unobserved by Sam, who interrogated Randy, asking what had been so urgent that he couldn't detach his eyes from the phone's screen and his fingers from its keyboard. Her persistence even managed to brew up an argument or two between the couple…which was far from surprising.

The most banal and trivial of things were exchanged. Jokes and light mocking was thrown around, ones that brought out cheeky smiles and laughs in them. They let each other in on where they went, what they were doing, who they met up with, even what they ate. In essence, a progressive and detailed portrait of their day had been drawn to the other, descriptive to the point where they more or less felt that they were in each other's presence. Like they were still together, no physical distance bounding them.

None of this felt new to them, though. It felt natural, almost like returning to a second nature of theirs. In reality, prior to the huge shakeup in their relationship, their behavior was identical. They communicated round-the-clock anytime they happened to be apart, which provoked Sam's ire. Neither of them cared nor bothered. That evidently didn't change once Randy and Cody asserted that they were more than just friends… And yet in a way, the way they used to be was similar to their behavior right there and then…but they never realized it. Only this time around, like enamored teenagers on a weekend off from school, butterflies ushered in their stomach at the signaling of a new message and smiles were imprinted on their faces at the mere implication of flirting.

And, this time around, their desire for one another grew even more. The wait to meet again became unbearable.

…

Saturday's house show was done and dusted. By the end of it, Randy and Cody were happy with their matches but frustrated. Frustrated, because, they barely got a chance to sit down and take a breather…not to mention talk to each other.

They had seen each other, greeting the other with sincere smiles that warmed them up. As soon as they'd be approaching each other, the distance thinning out, they'd be crudely pulled away by a road agent who'd hand them out an updated version of what it was they were slated to do. The multi-generation superstars' opponents must have changed at least twice, which meant meeting up with new adversaries and discussing new strategies, asking creative and agents alike about the specificities of the bouts more than once. The reason behind all that chaos was the fact that the event took place on the first weekend post-SummerSlam. Consequently, the formula lineup for the house shows had to be restructured – and for something to stay somewhat stable in the world of WWE, it took many plans, many tries, many modifications and many adjustments to simply obtain ratification. Mayhem just happened to fall at the heart of the entire circus.

The pandemonium dwindled once the show began. Ironically enough, the only timeout anyone benefited from came about mere minutes prior to their cue. They made no bones about it – the day had taken a toll on them by the end of it.

Nonetheless, no absence of concentration could have been noted regarding Randy and Cody's performances inside the ring…or outside of it when they happened to stumble over the other's bout on the monitor. Each and every detail was perceived, dissected, from the way they moved to the way they handled themselves to every inch of their appearances, each one being ever so delectable to the other…

Suffice to say, they wanted to get their hands on one another as soon as humanly possible.

Their sense of leisure took in its satisfaction the minute both men stepped foot in their hotel rooms. The opportunity to relax and let loose was finally in their hands. However, both Cody and Randy were aware that joy and true comfort weren't fulfilled just yet. A piece of the puzzle was still missing.

In the midst of unpacking, Cody felt his phone vibrate in his front pocket. It was a message from Randy.

'Come over now.'

Dropping on the floor the shirt he'd been holding, he'd been out of the door, keycard in hand, before the blink of an eye.

He opened Randy's door to find him slowly pacing back-and-forth across the main sitting area. It seems he was waiting for him. The tattooed man halted his movement as soon as Cody drew near to him.

'Hey.' Cody softly said.

'Hey.' Randy replied with the same delicacy. 'How are you?'

'Good. And you?'

'Better.'

Cody grinned at Randy's line. Swiftly, the mood altered. The lenient beams gracing their faces faded. Eyes laid frozen, taking on slightly darker shades. It appeared clear that the time for talk was over.

Simultaneously, they messily reached out for each other and crushed their lips together in a devouring, hungry, passionate kiss. The need to touch was all too strong, uncontrollable. Fists twisted in handfuls of shirt, while tongues couldn't get enough of each other.

It was well and truly, the start of a beautiful…

Affair.

…


	13. Chapter 13

_I am so sorry for posting this chapter so late. I've been crazy busy lately. But hopefully starting from now, I should be able to going back to weekly updates. Fingers crossed I can do that! I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint you. Let me know what you think with a review :)_

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They had only been separated for a little more than a couple of days. A period of time which, by most standards, is insignificant. And yet, it had been too much for Cody and Randy. Sure, they had stayed in touch day and night. But it was nothing compared to the real thing. The real thing that they had found themselves craving for all the time and more than anything. Whatever this thing was, both of them wanted to discover it, interceptions unwelcomed, no questions asked.

Their kiss was needy, induced by depravation. Tugging was its theme. Long fingers tugged on short, raven locks. Hands tugged on fistfuls of crumpling shirt. Teeth tugged on lips. Tongues tugged onto each other, wildly demanding contact. Heaving chests were tugged together. The air got tugged away from them. When the need for it was overbearing, Randy didn't waste time. His lips tantalizingly kissed their way from Cody's mouth, to his jaw and right up to his ear. Randy had found a new center of attention, as he took his time gently nipping the tender skin there, bringing special care to the earlobe. His bites and licks left Cody with his head fallen back, his eyes tightly closed and mouth spilling out delicious moans. He was in seventh heaven.

Cody was pretty much certain he couldn't take more of it if Randy continued. He cradled the back of Randy's neck and forcefully pulled him off. Fiery, blazing eyes locked. Before Randy could react about his ministrations getting cut off, Cody pounced onto him, teeth immediately going for his neck. Being unfamiliar with it, Cody replied Randy's enticing focus by discovering every little inch of skin. Pouty kisses and faded bite marks lavished the canvas, from the alluring vein on the side of Randy's neck, to his Adam's apple, to his well-defined and beautifully tanned collarbone. Randy found it impossible to keep in the raspy sounds from hitting the air. Never had kisses left him this panting, this yearning, this turned on.

Cody eventually lifted his head only to be greeted with a sight igniting him – a winded Randy Orton staring at him through hooded lids and searing dark grey eyes. Lit up inside out, he couldn't help but crash his lips onto Randy's in what turned out to be yet another engorging, bruising kiss. Their groins got progressively tighter and Cody was painfully aware of that. With one last nip of Randy's bottom lip, Cody pulled away.

Too dizzy to object to the separation, Randy was perfectly content with fighting through his daze. He ultimately fluttered his eyes open to find a pair of cerulean orbs watching him right back, a twinkling grin adorning their beholder's face.

"It's good to see you too." Cody uttered, still a little out of breath.

Randy's eyebrow jokingly rose. "Who said it was good to see you?"

"Really now?" Cody feigned offense.

"Yeah."

"I didn't hear you complaining. As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure I heard some…satisfied sounds coming out of your mouth."

"Shut up."

Beams spread out on both of their faces. "I haven't eaten all night and I'm starving. You up for ordering some food?" Cody asked.

"Sure. How about some pizza?"

"Sounds great."

"Pepperoni, right?" Randy rhetorically inquired, already knowing the answer.

"What else would I order?"

With pizza on the side and sodas in hand, both men spent the entirety of the night doing one sole thing. Talking. Talking about nothing yet everything. The awkwardness had been a barrier to any possible dialogue in the prior weeks. Much to their dismay and lack of control, they had been out of the loop, far longer than they had hoped for. So, to rectify the situation, they managed to catch up on what happened in the other's life. Every little event was shared, from the most meaningful to the most worthless detail. By the end of it, it was as though they hadn't missed a thing. They joked, mocked each other out of habit, poked around and even lightly flirted. States of minds were shared and in the process, all sensation of hindrance was cut loose. Pure, unfiltered honesty wasn't ducked. On the contrary. They'd been more truthful with each other than they had been in months. They had already briefly touched upon their feelings for each other in the heat of the moment. The reasons behind their fears, worries and perplexity regarding them were spilled. Both of them realized that coming to terms with being more than just friends was a more than challenging task. It was frustrating.

"Do you think that it was meant to happen?" Cody wondered.

"What, do you mean us?" Randy answered in between swigs of his drink.

"Yeah. I mean, we've been friends for so long, right? I'm talking about years and years and years…and then this," he gestured between them, "happened and…what I mean is, do you think it was meant to happen. That we couldn't escape it?"

"I think it's pretty obvious we couldn't. Every time we tried putting an end to…this, as you put it, something happened and just made us snap and brought us right back to square one, you know? It's like we couldn't control ourselves. At least, I know I couldn't."

"Me neither. It was crazy. It was like I couldn't even get a hold of what I was doing!"

"Exactly."

The truth was the pattern repeating itself, as it had been during the entire course of their lengthy friendship. The conversation only returned the essence of what Randy and Cody shared. They'd gone back to their roots, to the times when they'd tell each other everything without the fear of any discomfort interfering or lies slithering in. For that, they were more than grateful. Grateful, for the fact that, truly, for the first time, they'd finally gotten a better understanding of the other's psyche. They'd finally felt that they weren't alone in this, not alone in their fear of the unknown, that often times they'd had the same feelings. The fact that neither of them had ever gone through something of the sort made them feel safe in some sort. They'd gone out of that night with more ease on their minds as well as a deepening attachment for one another. But above all, what they affirmed was that, despite the changes between them, friendship would always be at the forefront of whatever it is that they had…no matter what.

The discussion had carried on for hours, until the wee hours of the night. Neither Cody nor Randy was truly aware of the time that had lapsed until the younger of the two randomly threw a glance at his watch and seen the time. 3:30 AM. The night had passed like a breeze. Knowing they had to wake up in a few hours later to head to the next town, Cody reluctantly asserted that he had to get going, much to both of their chagrins. He'd reached the door but didn't leave until he swiftly marched back to Randy and planted a soft, light kiss to his lips. One that was whole-heartedly reciprocated.

…

Another day, another city.

The next morning, both Randy and Cody were exhausted. They had barely gotten any sleep under their belts. Not for the worst of reasons, though. For the first time in sleepless weeks, they weren't worst for wear due to the lack of rest. It was understandable, in their minds. Never had being tired felt this okay.

They met up in Randy's rental. Gone were the days both guys traveled with other people, even if it happened to be with Ted. They had settled on that decision in the midst of the endless chain of texts they exchanged in their few days apart. It was yet another sign that any remains of weirdness had melted away.

Except now, a novelty popped up. Because now, when Cody entered the car, sunglasses on, looking unintentionally incredible, Randy's first instinct wasn't to greet him with a nod of the head. Or a handshake. Or even a one-arm hug. All Randy wanted to do was reach out to him and kiss him. However with the troop of superstars looming around in the parking lot, a public display of affection was not possible or conceivable, which was maddening to Randy. Cody seated himself in the vehicle, put his seatbelt on, and finally titled his head to Randy, flashing him a smile that warmed up the older man's insides.

"Hey."

After pleasantries and small talk were traded, the two superstars fell into a comfortable silence which more than anything was a result of their fatigue. The fact that Randy hadn't been able to kiss Cody was weighing heavy on his mind, even miles after he'd commenced the drive. He didn't know why a short, simple kiss had sent him into a mental frenzy. All he knew was that he had wanted one from Cody, and badly. Those plump lips activated Randy's senses to the maximum. They sent him over the edge each and every time. Ever since getting a taste of them, he couldn't get enough of them and admittedly, would probably never be able to. Simply put, Cody's kiss was addictive.

That was probably why, the second he'd seen a gas station, Randy pulled over, quickly leaned over, slipped his fingers behind Cody's ear and claimed his mouth in a long and tender breathtaking kiss, taking Cody by surprise…more than welcomed surprise.

Stunned and rendered immobile for a second, Cody flicked his eyes open, raising both of his eyebrows. A playful grin was directed to the taller man.

"What was that for?"

"Nothing. Just felt like doing it."

"So you stopped the car in the middle of the road just to kiss me?"

"There's that…but I also wanted to ask if you wanted a cup of coffee since we're at a gas station right now."

"Oh." Cody mumbled, taking in the surroundings. His daydreams had seemingly blinded him. "Sure. That'd be good."

"Okay then." Randy stepped out of the car, a satisfied expression fixated on his face as he' d finally gotten what he'd been craving for in the last half an hour. Or more.

Randy reemerged after a few, short minutes. The coffee shop was void of customers, which was more than fine in the Viper's book. The only person he'd converse with at this time of morning happened to be sitting right next to him in the rental. He placed the drinks in the cup holder. Right before he could turn on the ignition, Cody abruptly palmed the back of Randy's head and pulled him in for an equally caring and breathtaking kiss as the one before. It lasted a few seconds before he tore away. It was Randy's turn to be taken aback.

"What was that for?" Randy asked, eyebrow quirked.

"Oh, you know. Just my way of saying thanks for the coffee."

"In that case…you're very welcome."

Back on the road they went. Contentedly looking at the scenery, Cody rested his head back and took advantage of the drive as an opportunity to relax. The hot, steamy drink soothed his throat and perked him up just as needed.

He appreciated the silence and calmness in the air. He felt at peace. And that's when it hit him. Peace hadn't come his way in weeks, ever since that fateful night in Cincinnati. A wall had been built inside his head blocking out any attempt at finding tranquility. But here he was, commonly sitting in a rental, Randy Orton at his side, more present in his life than he'd arguably ever been. And that made him feel at peace. At that internal realization, Cody turned his head to Randy and sent a watchful, lingering gaze. Feeling a pair of eyes boring a hole through his face, Randy curiously titled his head just slightly. Cody's stare was just an inch away from being a complete distraction. He tried his hardest to concentrate on the task at hand, which was driving and successfully getting them to the next town in one piece. Even so, the twinkles dancing ever so lightly in Cody's pools of blue were not meant to be ignored. They were drawing him in heaps, capturing his attention. Warmth radiated from them.

"What?" Randy finally questioned.

"Nothing." Cody answered, before the landscape made for his eyesight an instant later, serene face looking on.

His reverie was momentarily interrupted once the faint but distinct sound of drumming fingers reached his ear. Suddenly, he recognized the tune blaring out of the radio. It was 'Call Me Maybe'. Cody could not quite believe his eyes or ears. He wasn't sure he'd witnessed this. What he was sure of though, was the fact that he was never going to let Randy live this moment down.

"Randy Keith Orton…were you just humming to Call Me Maybe?"

Randy's focused eyes were wide open. "What? I didn't-"

"Oh my God. You were just humming to Call Me Maybe!"

"I didn't. I was just-"

"Here comes the pathetic excuse. Wow, I sure didn't know the Apex predators liked cheesy, corny pop songs…"

"I don't, okay? I was just…scratching out a mark on the steering wheel."

"I'll make you feel better. I'll song along with you, okay? Hey, I just met you and this is crazy…"

"You're an annoying piece of shit, you know that?"

"So here's my number…"

"Shut the fuck up." Randy growled, which amused Cody even more.

"Awh. Does that mean you won't call me maybe?"

"I'm going to kick your ass."

"It's fine, Randy, really. I won't stop being friends with you over that. I mean we all have our demons, right?"

The sideway scowl he received afterwards only increased his laughter. "If you don't stop this right now, your stock of Wonder Woman comic books will be more than just a collection you hide under the bed."

"Whoa, man. That was uncalled for. Damn…what a cheap shot."

"Call it getting even."

"This never happened." Contagious chuckles filled the confines of the car. They sure had missed this.

Being more intimate didn't change the nature of their relationship. It was an added and much appreciated bonus to the bond they had always known to share. Over the course of the following days, their regular routine became their lives once more. From the moment they awoke, to the moment they hit the hay, barely any distance separated them. As a matter of fact, the night would often end with one of them dismissing himself from the other's room, the AM hours well underway. From the gym to media appearances, signings, live shows and dinners out, most activities were done together. In between the crowded mounds that were their days, new habits were inserted. Time was made for passionate make-out sessions. Stolen kisses in dark-as-pitch garages glided right by, leaving a trail of tingles and goose bumps on their skin.

Had a passing stranger, who didn't know better, heard the story of two people practically attached by the hip, they would have immediately assumed it involved a couple. And yet, during all those years, this is how Randy and Cody acted. This was the way they were. It was all they knew. This was how every single person in the locker room knew them to be. Natural was the best way to describe their behavior.

Which poses the question that neither Randy nor Cody was truly aware of…had they been acting like a couple all along much to everybody's ignorance? Including theirs?

…

The Smackdown taping in Green Bay, Wisconsin was in the books. The fat lady sang its end. For a couple of years, the WWE superstars had made it a habit of theirs to visit a particular sports bar downtown anytime they happened to be in the city. That night was no exception. Given Randy and Cody's much better moods in the days prior, they'd immediately considered the invitation once Ted and Kofi kept insisting they should tag along. So they did just that.

The bar was lively as all hell. The smell of beer, cigarettes and fast food attacked their nostrils in a hurry. A group of middle-aged men sat glued to the television screen watching the replay of a football game with the same energy and emotion they would have if it had been live.

They set on cutting loose. Their resolution of staying away from the alcohol had glimmered away, much like their soberness. After all, their determination of not getting drunk had come along after the night in Cincinnati when they'd almost gotten into it with a couple of guys. Not to mention that it was on this occasion that they first discovered that controlling their attraction for one another was starting to become borderline impossible. However, for the sake of the first reason, they decided to drink in moderation and not go overboard.

It was comical, really. Just like the previous time they'd hit a pub, Cody was a huge hit with the ladies. Woman after woman came up to him, leaving a napkin with her number printed on or kisses on his cheek he had to wipe with the back of his hand. None of this escaped Randy's attention, even if he'd been chatting the time away with Wade Barrett.

It's not that he felt intimated. Or even jealous. Okay, maybe a little bit. But because he and Cody were finally getting on track, it was amusing more than anything. In the midst of the busy crowd and everyone minding their own business, he managed to have an unsuspicious sneak up behind Cody to whisper in his ear. "You better not pull the same shit as last time."

Cody laughed. "Dude, what am I supposed to do? They just keep coming up to me, I can't control it."

"Here's an idea, how about you tell all of these whores to go fuck themselves?"

"It's not like I'm buying them a drink or making conversation with them."

"Well, it's not exactly like you're turning them away."

Eyeing up Randy mischievously, a huge beam lit up Cody's face.

"What are you smiling about?"

"I think someone's getting a little jealous."

"What? No. I'm not."

"Oh yes."

"No. And to prove that I am not jealous," Randy intercepted his words with a gulp of whiskey, "I am going to help you reject every single of them. It'll be fun." Randy asserted his words with a slam of his now empty glass on the bar counter. Cody snickered at the major contradiction in the older man's words. He wasn't going to question them, though. It was quite fun and intriguing to see this side of Randy shine through. In turn, Cody knocked back the remaining drops of booze he held in hand. This was going to be interesting.

A few hours later, Randy and Cody were in the elevator still laughing their asses off like madmen. One would've thought they were drunk but in actuality, they weren't. They were slightly buzzed from the liquor. But above all, they were just highly entertained.

They had just spent the last couple of hours turning down girl after girl. Never had the term 'piss off' had so many buildups and so many synonyms. They were pretty sure they had invented expressions never before heard. They had broken down each woman who presented herself, not only to Cody but to Randy as well. In fact, the Atlanta-native was not the only main attraction of the night, as Randy also had his very fair share of hits. They'd particularly had their fun with a young woman who offered a three-way. Their humiliation of these women would have probably come across as cruel to some people. However, in the eyes of both superstars, it was plain out entertaining to call out the ring rats. Having alcohol in their systems didn't necessarily help in activating the niceness in them, either.

In reality though, what truly stimulated the outrage towards these women was the fact that they were starting to get possessive of another…

They ultimately reached their floor. Luckily for them, both of their rooms were located next door. Randy's room was the first one down the hall. Once they reached his door, Randy promptly invited Cody in for a while, which was a request he would never have objected to. They carried on laughing hard and recalling the events of the night for quite a bit of time. Eventually, the giggles dwindled down.

"Oh man. I had a really, really fun time tonight." Cody claimed.

"Me too."

"The way you rejected these girls for me, though…coming to my aid like that, all angry…it was really interesting."

"Huh? How so?"

"It was different."

"In a good way?"

"Yeah. I don't know but uh, I found it…kinda sexy."

"I could say the same for you."

Smiles faded as Randy and Cody pulled together and connected their lips in a tearing and fervent kiss. The smell of aftershave and the intoxicating taste of Jack Daniels heightened Cody's senses. He slid his tongue in Randy's hot cavern for the chance to savor everything that made it so enslaving. Randy took Cody's bottom lip in between his teeth and paid special attention to it, giving it delicate little pecks. Pecks became nips, nips which lay on the perfect border between painful and absolutely enthralling. He moved his lips behind Cody's ear, which elicited a euphoric gasp from the younger man. He'd found a sparks-triggering new spot. Cody's mouth travelled down Randy's jaw and neck, pleasuring him to no end. They need more of each other's mouth, though. Way more. Simultaneously, their lips full-on found each other once again and kissed ardently. Far gone in the heat of the moment, Cody was so turned on that he didn't notice his hands starting to wander down Randy's body. They slid under his favorite grey V-neck shirt and roamed over his chiseled abs. At the brief touch, Randy jerked back.

It was like a ton of bricks fell down Cody's head. He realized what he'd done. Paranoia overtook him. He'd taken it too far.

"Oh my God. I'm so sorry, Randy."

"Why?" Randy knew what was racing through Cody's mind. He'd gotten it all wrong, though. It was that he didn't want any part of it – on the contrary. He simply got taken by surprise.

"I took it too far-"

"Cody, calm down. I was just-"

"No, no. It's all on me, okay? I just got caught up and I-"

"I'm telling you, it's-"

"I better go-"

Randy didn't let Cody's ramble go on further as he planted a firm kiss that shut him up for good. "You just took me by surprise. Not more."

"Really?"

"Yes."

Still mildly uncomfortable by the situation, Cody checked his watch. "It's getting late. We should go to sleep."

Alarm bells rang in Randy's head. All he wanted was to prove he didn't mind the closeness. Because he really wanted it more than anything… His voice stopped Cody just as he had his hand on the door knob. "Cody…why don't you stay here tonight?"

The warmth in Randy's voice couldn't help but hook Cody on. "Really? You want that?"

"Yes. Stay here."

Randy headed towards the bed and took a seat. He lifted the opposite side of the blanket. It was an invitation. It was all in Cody's hands now…

Without further words, Cody instinctively walked towards him. Would he say no?

Nope.

Did they fall into the most fitful slumber they'd had in months?

Yes.

...


	14. Chapter 14

_Two quick notes. First, did you guys see Randy and Cody being in the same match on Smackdown? Even if they barely wrestled a minute, I marked out. :P It'd been so long. Second, I'll be writing a one-shot for the author of the 50th review. I know it's still early for that, but I just wanted to get it out there. So please don't forget to review! Without further ado, here's chapitro 14! Enjoy :)_

* * *

A rosy, peachy golden sun had risen. It peered through the window and silk drapes, inevitably signaling the beginning of a new beautiful summer day.

Warmth swiveled around Cody and seeped through his pores. The warmth engulfed him. So comforting and welcoming, it was. The all-consuming serenity was something he had not been accustomed to. He happily let himself get submerged by it. He hadn't felt this rested in what seemed like an eternity. Cody didn't know where this sensation came from. But he wasn't willing to let go of it anytime soon.

As he took his time to gradually open his bright blue eyes, Cody started taking in the situation. He found a strong, heavy tattooed arm encircling him by the waist. A tall, sculpted body was laying flush against him, heaving ever so lightly with every taken breath. A musky scent invaded his nostrils. Startle was followed by a faint smile breaking out on his still sleepy face as the memories of the night before dawned on Cody.

Randy had asked him to stay over.

The invite had taken him aback, especially considering what had occurred just mere moments prior. All Cody wanted to do was crawl and hide in a deep, dark hole after thinking he'd taken it just a heated step too far while kissing Randy. His mind had convinced him that Randy's shudder away meant he had to face rejection right ahead. That's what happens when lust overshadows and mutes down reason.

Things change in an instant, though. Here he was, having fallen asleep right by Randy's side, enjoying more closeness than they had ever had. This was completely unlike the incredible, astounding kisses they had shared. Although they bared a load of emotion behind them, lust and desire basically spilling out of them, spending the night with Randy, right next to him, in the same bed felt…different. It somehow felt more personal. More private. More intimate.

Seldom did Cody share a bed with someone, much less when it came to someone who didn't mean much to him. Unless it was a one night stand. But even then, Cody was never that kind of guy. And more than anything, the relationship he had with Randy wasn't a one night stand. Far from it.

He recalled tentatively walking to the opposite side of Randy's bed, shyly taking off his shoes, joining the older man who was holding up the comforter for him. He remembered climbing in bed. Still drowning in embarrassment, he cowered away and rested on the furthest possible side, far from Randy's intoxicating touch. Another inch to the left and he would have been stumbling out on the floor. He remembered closing his eyes in the midst of an invading silence. They immediately reopened the second Randy's hand grasped his waist and fiercely pulled him to the center of the bed, right against his muscled figure. Barely a hitch of air separated both men. Randy's hand didn't budge an inch, as he felt his soft lips daintily brush the shell of his ear.

"Stop doubting that I want this. Because I do. I do want this. I want you here. So stop shying away from me. Stop." Randy whispered. His words were asserted with a delicate kiss he planted behind the younger man's ear, sending shivers down Cody's spine and goosebumps all over his skin.

"Okay…" Cody managed to murmur.

Randy had hit the nail right on the head. Despite everything, Cody was still in disbelief. He couldn't quite bring himself to believe that there was indeed a possibility that Randy reciprocated his exact, same feelings. As soon as he was on his way to convincing himself that the possibility might have been a reality, something had to take place and derail him, hurling him right back into a sea of doubts and uncertainty. That rut of worries and suspicions only stemmed from one solitary issue. How much, how badly, he wanted Randy.

But then came along Randy's words. The affection that poured out of them. His tenacity on spending the night with him. Having him with him. Having him stay. And Cody wondered, maybe his feelings were mirrored right back?

The whirlwind of souvenirs and inner dialogue left behind a trail of pearly whites shining through a seemingly etched smile. He looked over his shoulder to look at the man at the epicenter of his thoughts, only to be met with half-lidded silver eyes gazing at him.

"Hey…" Cody started, surprised to find Randy awake. "How long have you been up for?"

"Umm…a few minutes. I thought you were still asleep so I didn't want to wake you up."

"I wasn't…" Cody turned on his back as Randy hovered over him. "Did you sleep well?"

"I did, yeah. What about you?"

"Best sleep I've had in a while." Cody accompanied his words with a grin.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

Randy couldn't help but lean down and capture Cody's mouth in a tender, gentle kiss. Cody melted against those lips as he contentedly sighed, cherishing the enchantment that came along. The kiss remained innocent, a far cry from the intense ones they'd previously had. The calm and placid movements, which he replied, equally satisfied him.

They tore away a few moments later, haziness written all over their faces, an effect their kisses left on them.

"Care to tell me why you've slept this well?" Randy playfully inquired.

"I don't know. I think it's the mattress, man. It's so soft here…I mean it knocked me out cold." Cody teasingly joked.

"Oh. Nothing else, then?"

"Nope. Should there be something else?"

"Not if there isn't. It's just too bad you won't have this mattress at the next town, then."

"Who said I won't? I'm taking it with me." Cody's grin got a little wider, dropping a hint at the silliest of comparisons.

"Did you seriously just compare me to a mattress right now?" Randy asked in between deep laughter from both superstars.

"I think I just did."

Randy shook his head as he leaned down once more to briefly kiss Cody on the lips.

"What time is it?" Cody wondered.

"9:30."

"Oh good, we're not late then."

"Wanna go get breakfast downstairs before we get a move?"

"Sure. Just let me go get my bags from my room and meet you back here."

As Cody was about to step down from the bed, Randy firmly grabbed him by the wrist and stopped him from potentially going further away – even if he tried to.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"I was just going to go get my bags-"

"Not now."

"Not now?" Cody teasingly quirked an eyebrow.

"Not now."

Cody smiled as he was sank back first into the mattress.

…

Like Cody had so ineloquently put it, spending the night with Randy had become more than just a one-time thing. Very quickly, they'd made a habit out of it, night in and night out. It had been a thing of their will just as it had been accidental at times. Sometimes, they found themselves soliciting the other in their own room. At times, they ended up closing themselves up in one or the other's room, just to hang out, cutting all cords with any of their coworkers. One glass of booze became ten, and they drank their hearts out. They became wasted out of their minds and uncontrollably passed out. And yet, someway, somehow, they always wound up waking up right next to each other. Upon their awakenings, they attempted putting back together the missing pieces of the nights before. Futilely, often. Not that it even mattered… By the end of the first five days of their new found pattern, the invitation had gone past the point of words, surpassed the need to be voiced. It came implicitly, and more than anything, naturally.

They fell asleep swaying in each other's embrace, limbs tangled, arms enclosing the huddle they made. The touches became more intimate. Hands started to reach out for one another. Progressively, fingers intertwined as they dozed off in peace. They woke up with breathtaking kisses, rested in pure harmony. Safe to say, no complaints about sleep could be noted from either of them. And although they spent less time with them outside of work, they became more pleasant with their co-workers. It was especially surprising when it came to Randy who happened to drop a few cordial smiles here and there. Any person at the receiving end of any of them was left to be set in stone at the surprise.

They were happy. They really were.

That was, until she inevitably manifested herself and entered the fray.

When Cody and Randy were having their issues, trying their very best to bury their attraction and feelings into oblivion, both had understandably fallen into somewhat of a mental blackout. Everything was so clamped up in their heads. Distraction was imprinted on their minds and faces. It was all they could have fallen into. They were half there, in any kind of situation. It was even the case when Randy had been at home. He barely got into a fight with his wife, no matter how much she tried to provoke him or bait him into into an argument. Admittedly, rare were the moments where he'd actually heard what came out of her mouth. His clouded brain couldn't register those attempts. Therefore, they slid by. A bit of an underlining tension was as heated as they had gotten at the time.

But now that all glitches and hitches with Cody had moved out of the way, his consciousness was clear. Lucidity was omnipresent in his world. Consequently, he was more concentrated. More focused. His matches got even better. He was training head-on in the gym, with more determination and efficiency. What that also meant, on the downside, was that he was extra attentive with his spouse. That was a signal for bad things to come. Expectedly, the subdued disputes had brewed and boiled up once again. In other terms, things had gotten back into the norm between Randy and Sam.

The closer he was getting with Cody, the less rattled his thoughts had been, the more issues escalated with his wife.

Randy tried his hardest to keep those problems at bay. He really did. Being with Cody had sent him to levels of inner peace and contentment he had never reached before. Cody had, more than not, taken his mind off of any parcel of anger. Sometimes without even realizing it. Whether it was through words, mere touches or the briefest of kisses, he was the sweetest of poison to any foretelling worries. But then came some moments were even Cody was an ineffective cure to them. They would eclipse his every thought, his every judgment. They would drive him off to dark places.

After weeks and weeks and weeks of torment, things had finally been good between them lately. So, so good. He knew for a fact that Cody would have been more than welcoming to being Randy's backbone, his shoulder to lie on, so to speak. But why in the hell risk any awkwardness slithering its way into such an easy-going liaison? Why risk the insertion of any unneeded and unwanted uneasiness when everything Cody and Randy had felt anything but forced?

So, in those moments, he bid his best to keep his inner conflicts away from Cody. He put his best foot forward, his best relaxed face on. Randy should have known better, though. Cody read straight through his poker faces.

Cody was far from an idiot. And, last time anybody checked, nobody had a better understanding and knowledge of the third-generation superstar than him. What seemed like a furrow of the eyebrows to the naked eye looked like wrinkles of concern for Cody. Every twitch of Randy's face, every tension in his muscles meant a different thing. Cody had the uncanny ability of decrypting every single emotion of the seemingly emotionless Viper. And never was he wrong about any of his diagnoses.

Therefore, it was not surprising that he knew exactly when something was weighing heavy on the Missourian's mind. When he knew something was bothering him. When he felt those demure shifts in Randy's mood. They were well-hidden, and Randy could have fooled anybody into thinking he was alright. Anybody but Cody, that is.

At the beginning of this more intimate side of Cody and Randy's relationship, the concealed moments of frustration were sparse. Rare occurrences. The younger of the two chose to ignore it at first. He knew better than to ask – Randy was one to try to tame his ire on his own at first. In due time, he thought, Randy would come to him if it were anything serious. But as the days went by, those occurrences weren't as sporadic anymore. They were getting more repetitive, and lasted longer. He would look at Randy and discover a face that exposed the canvas of a mental battlefield.

Only one person would and could drive him to this pit of anger. He knew it. His wife.

That was the reason he kept mum about it. Since friendship was no longer the only factor tying him to Randy, tackling the subject was not as plausible as it once was. Cody didn't feel like it was his place to comment about Sam. It was plain out inappropriate, in his estimation, and for good reason. She had almost become taboo. Once the starlet of all of their discussions, she had become unmentionable for both men. And she stayed that way until Cody could not remain tight-lipped much longer.

…

It was Monday, meaning the broadcast of RAW was later on in the evening. It promised to be an eventful night given that the show was taking place in none other than Chicago, Illinois. The majority of the roster, Randy and Cody included, had arrived in town the night prior and checked into the hotel. Unsurprisingly, both men met up as soon as they landed.

The entire day, Randy was the walking personification of a steaming hot temper. He had been ever since they woke up.

Cody woke up to find Randy missing. The previous night, Randy had come over to his room. After languorous, mind-melting kisses, they sat on the couch, relaxingly watching an action movie. Before either man knew it, both guys somehow passed out, Cody leaning his head on Randy's chiseled chest, their legs entangling together. The Viper's deep sleep was broken up when the loud sound of his vibrating phone attacked his ears. He managed to meticulously slide his way out from behind Cody without so much of a stir. Little did he know, his absence was what roused Cody. Even at a crossroads of unconsciousness and awareness, the Georgia-native could sense that something was wrong. In between the angry, muffled yet audible "you did what?!", "how could you do such a thing?!" and "are you seriously fucking blaming me for this?!", "I can't do this now", he knew that what had ensued was one of many fights between the Orton couple. Not making too much out of it, or at least trying to, he momentarily shook it off. He pretended to be asleep when he'd heard Randy hang up the phone. The taller man gently moved Cody only to settle back in their previous position, pressing Cody to his chest once more, holding onto him just a little bit tighter than before…

Cody wished it was one of these cases where we could just play dumb and pretend he had no earthly idea concerning Randy's frame of mind. However, how could that be done when Randy was snapping at every single person who remotely stood in his way that day? How could he act like a fool when he'd seen Randy was practically running for his life on the treadmill at the gym? How could he simply let it be when Randy was beating himself up for the smallest of missteps at training? Moreover and more than anything, how could he allow Randy to wallow and suffer in silence when he was supposed to be there for him at every step of the way?

For Randy, he was going to have to block out any discomfort, no matter how forceful it may be. They had to tackle this subject candidly and bluntly, just like they were used to. It was about time…

Yet another edition of Monday Night RAW had concluded. Not wasting any time at the arena, both superstars headed straight back to the hotel, turning down any potential outings. Short conversation was exchanged as they ate their room service meal. It was reminiscent of the numerous times Randy had had a rough day. The atmosphere wasn't infused in consternation or eeriness, per se. Nevertheless, somberness and sadness filled the air. It wasn't the typical laid-back and soothing aura Randy and Cody had typically brought out in each other. Watching Randy in that much sorrow brought Cody down in turn. One's mood affected the other. It was how they worked.

All that Cody wished for was to make that grief go away. All that he wanted was to bring that serene aura back.

Both wrestlers lounged around in the main living area of the room. Cody was seated in the comfortable brown leather chair by the window. He occupied himself by reading one of his Zelda comic books, the rest of the collection placed on the proximate coffee table. After a while, he chanced a glance at Randy over his comic. The latter rested still on the nearby couch. The sight was one to behold. Randy's eyes were fixed on where the TV was located. And yet, he was blindly staring at a pool of blankness. His normally expressive eyes bared no sentiments. No feelings. No emotions. The prospect pushed Cody off of the brink…

"Spill it."

Cody's voice put an abrupt end to Randy's lasting reverie. "What?" Randy asked, shaking his head.

"Spill it."

"Spill what?" Randy knew he was doomed. His cover had been blown. Not that he made much an effort to uphold it that day.

"Randy, I'm not an idiot, you know. You've been out of your element the entire day. You're pissed and you look absolutely miserable. What's going on?"

"Don't worry about it. I'm just tired. Nothing's going on."

Cody rolled his eyes at the admittedly weak excuse. It irked him. "It's about Sam, isn't it?"

Randy was taken aback by Cody's straightforward and direct words. "What?"

"It's about Sam, isn't it?" Cody repeated calmly.

"No. It's-"

"Randy, again, I'm not an idiot. I really am not. I know you like the back of my hand and you know that. I probably know you better than you know yourself. You really think I wouldn't catch onto your mood swings? And you really think I wouldn't know why you're pissed?"

"It's just-"

Cody raised his hand. He wanted to continue. "You haven't mentioned her name since…this…started. You really think I didn't realize it? I know your problems with her didn't magically disappear…"

Might as well lay it all out on the line, Randy thought. "It's just…it's been difficult for me, Cody. I swear I wanted to talk to you about it. About her. But every time I wanted to, it was just…it was", Randy groaned, "It was just too difficult. Way too difficult... The last thing I wanted was to make things awkward between you and me. Especially since we've been doing so well lately. It felt too weird, you know?"

Cody nodded in understanding. "I know, okay. I know. Don't you think this is weird for me too? I mean, this is a hundred times harder for me, Randy. Because…" Cody shook his head. Some things could not be said. It didn't go unnoticed by Randy... "My point is, we can't avoid her name forever. We can't. At some point, we have to face the facts. Obviously, she plays a huge part in your life. She…she affects you. Today made it pretty clear." Cody waited a few instants before carrying on. "You still have problems. And they still piss you the fuck off. And I…no matter what, I'm here for you. All the time. And…uh, I…I wanna be there for you. But, if we can't talk about her, then I obviously can't be there for you. You know what I'm saying?"

Randy nodded. "And I want you to be there for me…you're the only one I could go to anyway." Wry smiles shone on both of their faces. "So, how do we go about this?"

Cody pondered over the question for brief moments. "How about this? When you wanna talk to me about her, think of me as your friend. Because, despite everything, I will always be your friend, first and foremost. So…yeah. What do you say? Wanna try that?"

"Sounds good."

Cody put aside the book he'd been holding in his hand and scooted further into his chair. "So, what happened with her?"

Randy shuddered when recalling the heated phone call he'd had with Sam. Frantically shaking his head, he tried finding his composure.

"She left Alanna all by herself at home. Overnight."

"What? Why?" Cody's eyes were wide open.

"She said she was called in for an emergency shift at work." Randy sighed. "She could've warned my mother. She would have dropped everything and headed straight for the house. But no. She was rushing way too fast to forget that she was leaving our four year-old daughter all alone at night."

"Did something happen to Alanna?"

"Thankfully, no…" Randy paused. The situation was too maddening. "She ended up blaming me…"

"What the fuck for?"

"For the situation. Because I'm not there. Because I'm travelling all the time. She said that um…if I had been there more often, this wouldn't have happened…"

"You do know that this is completely not your fault, right?"

"I know, but…sometimes I wonder, maybe she has a point. I mean-"

"Let me stop you right there."

From that point on, Cody and Randy went back and forth – Cody attempting to put some sense back into Randy's head while the latter explained where his fear and apprehension had come from. Cody listened with open ears, taking in each word, appeasing Randy with his best efforts. They talked interminably.

By the end of it, Randy had felt like a colossal weight had been taken off his shoulder. His concerns were amassing to the point where they had to be liberated, freed out of his system.

He looked at Cody with contemplative eyes. Something had changed.

Cody had always been there for him. Endlessly. And yet, Cody being there after the increased intimacy between them, felt, in some way, more distinct. More special.

He knew how much courage it took for Cody to do this. To confront him about his wife. Essentially, Cody basically set aside his own ease of mind for his'.

Randy simply felt more thankfulness towards Cody, towards having him in his life. In every facet of it. He was more grateful for him…if that was possible.

Cody broke off his little trail of thought. "I'm gonna go get some beer. Want some?"

"Sure."

As Cody stood and was about to walk past him, Randy halted him. Quickly yet softly holding his wrist, he looked deep into the hypnotizing blue eyes he'd grown attached to.

"Thank you. For everything."

Lost in the fog of their gaze, Cody flashed an equally enthralling smile. "Don't be stupid."

…


	15. Chapter 15

_Hey guys! First off, huge thanks for reading the story. I believe the last chapter was the most successful one to date. Here's a new one and, it's lengthy! I really hope you like it. Please don't forget to leave a review down below to let me know what you thought of it. Each review really brightens my day. :) Enjoy reading!_

* * *

A huge burden had vanished following that important conversation. Her presence was a looming dark cloud on the horizon, a storm waiting to strike, a shrewd shadow that had been following them around ever-so discretely. But now that Sam had been mentioned and, more importantly, talked about, that shadow started detaching itself from Cody and Randy. Even if she hadn't really planted the seeds of dissention at that point, she was an impending barrier that would have put a stop to any progress to their relationship sooner or later. At least for now, she was out of their way. The road was wide open for their taking.

Truth be told, bringing her up had been incredibly uncomfortable for Cody. It really had been. Here he was, forcing the issue concerning a woman whose husband he happened to be on quite intimate terms with. It was borderline diminishing for his pride and dignity, two things which made Cody who he was. Randy wasn't a willing party, either, trying to edge his way out of the conversation. The confliction within Randy echoed his own, but he wasn't one to back down.

All of his inner distress and dismay was wiped out the moment he felt that the pressure that had weighed so heavily on Randy's mind began to dwindle, the moment when Randy was becoming increasingly hassle-free, the moment when Randy relaxed and felt understood. As soon as a faint smile graced his face, Cody knew that compromising his comfort for the sake of getting Randy out his rut was a small price he was more than willing to pay. Because, as much as the corny admission made Cody cringe, Randy's contentment rubbed off on him. It was infectious. Rewarding, even. Randy's happiness was his own. It always had been. And somehow, Cody had known it all along.

The novelty of the peppered 'thank you' kisses that he received was something he could have definitely gotten used to. They were a very welcomed recompense. Showering his entire face, Randy's mouth came to a head at Cody's lips and locked onto them languidly, with hunger that manifested itself into slow, gentle passion. Passion that never staled between them. If anything, said passion grew by the day…

The tender exchanges of touches and kisses lasted for what felt like an eternity. The world around them was shut off, the only thing they were committed to was the other's presence right then and there. The never ending caresses and smooches unveiled new sides of them, sides neither man knew the other had. The affection that both displayed was unforeseen, even to themselves. With all of their female partners, neither Cody nor Randy were the types to take the time to leisurely kiss and enjoy the other's presence without much of a purpose or finishing line. And yet, here they were, doing exactly that and reveling in the serene and giddy sensation it had brought out in them. It was a complete betrayal of their bulky, masculine, animalistic-like appearances. They were not only surprising each other, but themselves, too. They never voiced their slightly endearing revelations. They didn't need to. Instead, they just added the information to the interminable inner repertoire of information they had held for each other, for years on end.

Seemingly, Cody was ready to do just about anything to assure Randy's happiness. He wasn't the only one, though.

…

The next day, as usual, Randy and Cody, both members of the Smackdown roster, were once more back on the road to attend their brand's show tapings. They went about their day normally, as they would have on any given day. Following a session at the gym, they headed to the arena.

Business was the same. Each superstar and diva went to get informed on their respective role for the show. Or lack of it in some cases. Customarily, Randy was booked. And so was Cody.

Unfortunately for the younger man, the outcomes of their matches were very different. Randy was slated to beat Damien Sandow by countout, as a means to cement the up-and-coming intellectual savior as a solid heel and while maintaining the Viper's prime status and momentum. Cody, on the other hand, was, unsurprisingly, in line for yet another loss. This time, it happened to be at the hands of Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara in a tag team match where he'd be teamed up with The Miz. The worst part was, he was the one who would take the pin, and in quite weakening fashion.

It wasn't that he wasn't used to the cumulative losses, because, he was. His loss column was getting more and more stacked by the house show. It had almost become a force of habit to just lie down on the mat and stay glued to it for the count of three. The sense of frustration didn't result from that aspect.

It was more that he felt somewhat…disrespected. Disrespected because, he felt that the entire creative team was collectively spitting on his craft, a craft which he worked diligently for to become what it was. All of his hard work and tremendous efforts were going to waste, thrown by the window and gone with the wind. And for what? He didn't know. In fact, he longingly wished he had an answer for this baffling question. He desperately wanted to find out why he had gone from one of the most successful Intercontinental champions in history to a glorified jobber all in the span of a few months.

He knew that the business was cyclic. You couldn't expect to stay on top forever and have it well and dandy at all times. Your highs were followed by your lows, and so on. The wheel kept on spinning. And he had no helping hand in whirling it. But despite that acknowledgment, he couldn't stop himself from feeling torn apart. He hated this feeling more than anything. This feeling of incapacity, inability, of not being able to control his destiny with his own bare hands. He couldn't simply barge in on management and demand a push. That would've been absolutely detrimental and could've signaled the end of his career altogether. It was just overall a bad idea.

That emotion was the exact same one he'd had when he finally comprehended that he was powerless towards his feelings for Randy, when he understood that they were much stronger than his free will. That was why he was overly mad at himself at the time, and why he was mad at himself now.

This hefty wave of thoughts hit Cody the moment he'd reemerged through the curtains. His match was up first, and the early time slot was convenient, as he didn't want to spend added minutes floundering prior to an in-ring performance. He didn't bother hitting the showers. He walked away from the gorilla position, destination unknown.

Upon having a post-match discussion with an agent, Randy found himself not caring too much. His nonchalance was caused by the fact that he wasn't expected to do much. The air time he was given wasn't overly lengthy, not to mention that the story they had to tell was relatively simple. It was a simple case of mild filler for what he hoped was his grand return to the World Heavyweight Championship picture. There was a bit of excitement though, as it was his first time facing off with Sandow. He was one of the great, young prospects with a whole lot of talent. Locking it up with him definitely proved to him why he undoubtedly had a bright future if he played his cards right.

Promptly, his first instinct was to find Cody and check where he was at. Goal in mind, he marched down the hallway in hopes of finding him. His first stop was the locker room, where he quizzically examined the room. Cody wasn't there. In fact, his white towel remained untouched over his bag, meaning he wasn't taking a shower. He then thought to himself that it was probable that the second-generation wrestler had been lounging in catering, getting a post-match meal in. Once there, he carefully searched the room. He arched his eyebrow when Cody was nowhere near his sight. He spotted Ted seated on a nearside table. He walked up to him and asked if he knew about Cody's whereabouts, to which the Mississippian answered saying he had no idea.

The situation was strange. Cody wasn't by the administrative offices, the locker room or catering and, aware of Cody's rituals all too well, he knew that he never distanced himself from those locations.

Consequently, he rummaged through his bag, took out his phone and got to typing.

'Where are you?'

He didn't have to wait long for a response. '4th floor.'

The tattooed man knitted his brows. The arena's fourth floor happened to be at the very top of the building, which was habitually abandoned. All of the activity transpired on the bottom two. What could have Cody possibly been doing there?

He didn't waste time in climbing up the staircase, joining the man he was pining for, covered in perspiration. From far aback, he could observe that something wasn't right with Cody. The Missourian was sitting on a small, rusted steel crate that had seemingly been untouched for years. His shoulders were slumped, his head rested against the wall and his facial expressions conveyed some slight dejection. Knowing what was wrong was essential…

"Hey…" Randy quietly stated as he slowly approached Cody.

A genuine, soft smile glinted on Cody's face at the arrival of the taller, darker superstar. It broke out unintentionally, and how could it not? Randy made him happy. That man had the ability to erase any sadness of his'. He seemed to have that talent of making him forget the reason why he was upset. His sheer presence was uplifting.

"Hey…"

"What are you doing up here?"

"Don't know. I wasn't in my element. I just needed some alone time."

"Well, clearly you've had too much of that…" Randy placed a comforting hand on his bare kneecap. "What's happening?"

"Nothing. Seriously, it'll pass. Don't worry about it." Cody truly did not want to inflict his worries on him, knowing Randy had enough to deal with personally.

"Cut the bullshit, you know I'm not gonna settle for that…" Randy's hand scooted up an inch higher and squeezed the soft flesh tenderly. "Tell me what's wrong…"

"It's just that I've just been booked like a toolbox."

"Sounds a lot like you."

Cody slapped Randy's hand away in the midst of both of their chuckles. "Fuck you."

Once the giggles subsided, silence took over and Randy's hand returned right where it was resting just a few moments prior.

"How did they book you? Sorry, I was in a meeting with the writers while you were out there…"

"Exactly like last night on RAW. I faced Rey and Cara. I lost to them exactly the same way. I looked like a fucking idiot. Same scenario, just different partner."

"That's just lazy booking, man…"

"Tell me about it."

Randy allowed a few moments in noiselessness to transpire. "Just think of this way. It could be worse, Codes. It really could be. I mean you could have been Zack Ryder right now."

With a short snicker, Cody replied. "I know. It could always be worse. I know that. But it's just…"

"It's just what?"

"It's just that it's tough to deal with it all."

"Deal with what?"

"I know you can't always have your way here in WWE. I really do… But Randy, I went from being on top of the world to…this. I had an amazing year last year and even at the beginning of this one. Then it just fell apart." Cody rubbed his face with the heel of his hands before continuing. "I feel disregarded. It's like all of my efforts are getting overlooked. Like they don't even matter anymore. And I worked so, so hard, and you know that, Randy. If all of my hard work ends up going to waste, then it just means I was never good enough…"

"That's not true. And you know it."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Because unless they're blind, they know how talented you are. You've grown so much as a wrestler and a performer. They saw that. Everyone saw that. None of your work was thrown of the window. So you can't say that."

Just as Cody was about to speak, Randy cut in immediately. "Look, it's not always gonna be sunshine and rainbows. You won't always be the champion just like you won't always be booked well. But you're a main event waiting to happen. It's just a matter of time until management snaps out of their fucking coma and knows what they've been missing out on."

"You really think so?"

"I know so."

Cody slid his hand progressively up the ink of Randy's perfectly toned arm, covered in a sheer layer of sweat. "Never seen you trying to be so reassuring…"

Shying away just a bit but not from Cody's touch, Randy responded. "Just wanted to cheer you up, s'all…"

"For what it's worth, you did a good job." The younger man's hand lay motionless on his companion's scruffy jaw, his thumb deliberately brushed his gorgeously defined cheekbone while his eyes delved deeply into glacial yet warm greys.

The mere touch and Cody's powerful stare sent shivers all throughout Randy's body. The Apex Predator cleared up his throat in a failed attempt to conceal the effects of the caresses.

"We should get going. We need to shower. Cause we really stink."

"Yeah, okay."

Cody hopped off the tarnished metal box and carefully looked around. He observed that they were all alone, and there was one distinct thing he had wanted to do right then and there. However, not wanting to take too much of a risk, he invaded Randy's personal space. Closing the distance between them, they were eye-to-eye. Their noses almost touched while their air was being shared. Cody could've sworn at that moment that he could hear Randy's breath getting ragged.

"Thank you…" He whispered, with all the sincerity he had harvested for the man in front of him. A delicate smile decoded the contentment that occupied him.

Just as he was about to float by his side and head for the stairs, Randy grabbed him by the wrist and, with ease, forcefully backed him to the wall. Gasping at the complete unexpectedness, Cody heatedly gazed at Randy who returned the gawk with equal intensity. Cody's hands leant on Randy's shoulders blades while the older man's sensually skimmed up and down Cody's bare waist.

"Randy-"

"You're welcome."

It was all they both could have muttered before Randy crashed his lips onto Cody's with unbridled lust. Apparently, Randy was the one who took the risk, the plunge, so to speak. All breath was stolen right out of Cody's mouth when a thick, wet tongue breached it and lathed every inch of it. The lip-on-lip contact outflowed in vigor, as both mouths were well on their way to becoming bruised and battered. Randy's tongue swirled around Cody's expertly. Not too slow, not too fast and with just the right pressure, which in result, drew a croaky moan from Cody's throat. As the kiss rose in intensity, palms and fingers began their quest for more. Hands started roaming around, slowly at first, softly massaging pectoral muscles and biceps. The cautious movements ceased and took a turn for the frantic. The way more frantic. Whereas mouths refused to cut their connection, fingertips dug and tugged at raw skin with hunger. It had been the first time that their hands were given free passes and a bigger liberty to wander around and discover raw, uninhibited skin. All that provoked was a fire for each other that would not stop mounting. Raspy sounds from both mouths soared through their kiss as nipples were rubbed, abdominals inspected, hipbones probed, trunks fondled... Fingers were on the edge of traveling dangerously low…

A very faint noise pierced through their ears like a screeching needle drop. Pulling away with extreme rapidity, both men looked around in frenzy, looking for anyone who might have witnessed that rather passionate make out session. Much to their outright relief, there was no sign of anybody having walked up or down the stairs, let alone someone who might have seen them.

After the momentary freak out, Randy and Cody were on the hunt for their composure. Their minds were still racing down a crash course, still completely reeling. Overwhelming best described the state of it all. Their yearning for each other had stroke again, breaking free from all of its bind chains. Not only did it jeopardize the secrecy of the relationship, but it pushed them to wander down roads they had never been down before…

"That was close…" Cody murmured.

"Yeah…"

"Way too close…"

Somehow, someway, despite the urgency of the situation, smirks inexplicably embellished both men's faces.

"Let's go."

…

"I can't believe you're flying to Canada to be a big movie star tonight."

Cody spoke out loud, as he ushered Randy in packing. Randy was indeed in for a long, long night. Not only did he have to go through with the Smackdown tapings, but then, afterwards he had to catch an AM flight to British Columbia where he'd be filming '12 Rounds: Reloaded'. The call had come in just the previous weekend – he only had a short number of days to prepare his things for a month away from home. Which was hectic enough to begin with.

"Yeah, well," Randy countered returning from the bathroom, "being a movie star is gonna be tough work."

"Look at you talking like a celebrity already. Are you actually gonna go all Hollywood on us when you come back?"

"In a heartbeat." Randy joked.

"Wow. And here I was, thinking you actually had some integrity. What a sellout you are."

"You thought wrong."

"Clearly!"

Walking behind Cody, his arm swiftly encircled Cody by the waist and pushed him back flush to his body. "Since I am going to leave you behind and all, you better make the most of what you have right now." Randy whispered in his ear.

Cody laughed loudly. "Ha! Really now?"

"Yeah."

"Well, let's make the most out of it then."

And make the most out of it, they did. Throughout the entire day, Randy and Cody snuck in as much kisses and prolonged touches as they possibly could have, almost as though engraving the memory of the other's touch in their minds, as a constant reminder.

They weren't about to be separated for a month, mind you. They would still have the opportunity to meet up every week during the Smackdown tapings. However, there would be a constrained amount of time to be shared, as Randy most likely would be in town for half the day and report back to Canada on the very same night. They dreaded the distance. They had always grown used to the other's in-body presence in their everyday life. It always felt weird when they used to part. But, now that the feelings have been further explored, that habit had practically been rendered into an addiction.

The day passed by rather hastily. Before they knew it, both Orton and Rhodes were in their ring gear preparing to wrestle. Randy had a tag team match set up whose goal was to conclude whichever beef he had with Dolph Ziggler.

On the other hand, Cody who just so happened to have a shot at the Intercontinental Championship at Night of Champions just two days before, was slated to defeat Daniel Bryan only to be relegated later on to a mass burial at the hands of the Tag Team Champions. In the midst of the chaos, the seeds of a partnership between himself and Damien Sandow were also planted.

As he returned to the backstage area, a road agent walked up to him and got in his face. It had been the same one he had gotten into an argument with about a month before. Judging merely by the facial expressions he'd been sporting, Cody knew this was about to get ugly.

Randy had gotten himself a refreshing drink from catering in order to cool down after his match. On his way back to the locker room, a cold shower in mind, the scene that greeted him clogged him dead in his tracks. It was déjà vu all over again: an altercation between Cody and the same road agent was taking place. The young superstar was visibly enraged and that didn't please Randy. Not one bit. He decided to watch from a distance, letting Cody fight his own battles.

"Kid, you don't know how to sell. I've told you this a million times."

"You can say it a million more. I did absolutely nothing wrong tonight. I wasn't distracted, I wasn't in another world, I was focused."

"You weren't-"

"You know what? It's clear to me you still hold a grudge because of what happened the last time. Because I stood my own ground, I never apologized and Vince appreciated that. And guess what, I still won't."

An evil cackled introduced the following response. "Seriously, Rhodes? You think that's why I came and talked to you? Kid, let's set something straight. I was trying to pick up the scraps of a failing project."

"What exactly do you mean by that?"

"You honestly believe you have a future here in this business? The only reason you're here is because your dad is a Hall of Famer. You can't cut a promo, your wrestling needs some polishing and your selling is weak. You will never go far. You think I'm going to let you, anyway? You are a flash in the pan. You had your moment of glory and now, it's over."

Cody's expressions might have been unreadable to the naked eye, but not to Randy's. Those words actually shook Cody, distraught him. All he wanted was to walk up to that agent and punch him into another sphere. But he knew that Cody wouldn't appreciate that, at all.

Cody took a few seconds to gather up words. "You know what? Bite me. When I will make it to the top of this business, which I will, I'll claim it as my own. I will come find you. And I will shove it right in your face."

With a smirk that reflected both confliction and smugness, Cody stormed away. Randy didn't know what to do. He didn't want to stay silent, but he had to. An event like that wasn't something Cody was going to open up about straight away, the reason being that the agent's words did cut him. And when something happened to hurt Cody, he took the time to process it in solitude before coming to him about it.

And, yet… Seeing Cody like that…knowing he hurt and not doing anything about it sounded so wrong in Randy's head. It was tearing him up.

Randy took his shower, dressed up and waited for his younger partner to join him. Cody had insisted on driving him to the airport that night. It was an invite Randy could've simply not refused.

Cody was late, which was cause for concern for Randy. He'd tried moving past the quarrel he'd viewed and more importantly the hurt that shone through the cerulean blue orbs of Cody. But he couldn't.

Eventually, appearing later than usual, hands in the pockets of his favorite leather jacket, Cody smiled as soon as he saw Randy. However, as soon as Randy noticed that the smile didn't quite reach his eyes, his limit had been reached.

Even in times of despair, Cody's smiles were always genuine. The trash talk wounded his ego and pride, which didn't surprise Randy. After all, Cody had had insecurities about the thing he treasured the most in his life: his career.

Cody's pain ate away at Randy. Cody often took necessary measures to make sure Randy's uncertainties and unhappiness dissipated. And now, it was his turn to return the favor.

"Hey Cody, I think I forgot something inside. Mind if you wait just a few minutes?"

"No, not at all."

With that done, Randy strolled his way back into the now-empty arena and headed for the offices area. Finally reaching his destination, he shortly paced around, his eyes closed. His apprehension regarding Cody's possibly negative reaction placed doubts in his mind. But then, Cody's offended and hurt face popped back in his head. The blue eyes he'd come to adore were full of distress. Of anguish. Of doubts. It's then that it became clear to him. He had to take a stand. He couldn't let him go on like that.

He took a step forward and knocked on the door. Granted the green light to enter, he safely shut the door behind him.

That door? That door was the door to Vince McMahon's office.

Call it Randy's parting gift to Cody. Or not…

…


	16. Chapter 16

'When does your flight take off?'

'30 minutes. Text you again when I land.'

It had been a week since Randy left to start filming. He was having a blast. It had been a lifelong dream of his' to be in an action movie, even if his daily job consisted in beating the living hell out of his coworkers. He was stoked to try out himself the stunts he'd always watch.

It really was harder than he anticipated. Filming days albeit fun, were long and exhausting. They were time-consuming, leaving Randy barely any time to relax and just be static.

As a result, time devoted to talking to Cody took a dip.

Cody was happy for Randy. He really was. He was glad his older friend was having the time of his life, living out one of his bigger ambitions. When they did manage to speak, Randy would make the account of what he did in his filming days. Cody could clearly decrypt the joy in his voice. He often sounded like a kid in a candy store when he'd describe the stunts that we had learnt on a given day. He knew nothing motivated Randy more than a good old adrenaline rush. Besides, it was proven that Randy's glee made for his own. That said, Cody couldn't help but feel frustrated. Frustrated because, there was somewhat of a blank in his life – a blank that was usually filled by Randy. Ever since they patched things up and accepted their gravity pull, they'd been inseparable, perhaps even more than they were before.

Everything they did ensued in unison. They went to the gym together, ate together, trained together, went to the arena together, hung out together, drank together… And, more recently, waking up and falling asleep were added to the extensive list of activities they did with each other. They were attached by the hip, and while metaphorical, it was no exaggeration.

Now, half of the equation was eliminated. Cody was left pursuing his days all by himself, without having Randy by his side. He felt weird. He couldn't even share it with him given the very limited amount of contact he had with him. The collapsed time of Randy's suspension was mightily different. He couldn't simply pick up the phone and hear his voice whenever he wanted to. He couldn't text him knowing that the reply would pop up on his phone in a matter of minutes. A binding schedule was absorbing Randy. It was difficult to deal with his absence.

He might have been surrounded by a mass of people on a daily basis, but he still felt like a hollow hole had opened up in his life.

He'd taken his time to mesh once more with his fellow colleagues. It was a longer and more challenging process than he expected. He didn't realize how much he and Randy had unglued themselves from them since they began their special liaison. It was probably because they no longer had much, if any, interaction with them outside of their working space. They'd been so enthralled by each other and what they had that they didn't notice to what extent they had alienated themselves from the rest. Therefore, when it came down to mingling with his workfellows, it was like pulling teeth. Socializing, blending and plastering fake smiles made for trying efforts. Evidently and unsurprisingly, Ted was the easiest to spend time with since he'd known the man for years and happened to enjoy his company. He still didn't replace Randy, though. He couldn't.

These upcoming weeks were going to be quite the obstacle to get past.

The worst part was that all of these emotions and thoughts happened to be just a week old. And, little did Cody know, that sense of emptiness and longing equally filled Randy. Not that the older man would ever truly voice that. He'd show it instead.

And so, Randy was on his way to his first Smackdown since the shooting commenced. Despite his packed timetable, management still involved him in storylines. Crazy it was, but that was the price to pay when you were a main eventer in WWE. Rewind months back, and you would have found Randy most likely complaining. But now that he had the object of his desire waiting for him at the other side of the border, objections would not even cross his mind. In fact, he was more than willing to gracefully embrace the crammed agenda due to it. Or him, rather.

He may have been hectically busy in the past week but the thought of Cody never left him, as well as what he had done for him just a couple of hours before taking off to Canada…

That last thought seemed to be a forgotten, overlooked concern, though. The only thing that found itself at the vanguard of his mind was seeing Cody and being with him.

He texted the youngest Rhodes shortly after he landed. It was late at dawn, meaning he had hardly had any sleep. If he was lucky, he could sneak in a couple of hours of rest during the day. However, sleep was a forgone wish of his' at that precise moment.

Cody replied right away which only meant that he had barely shut his eyes either, in Randy's correct assumption. The excitement and anticipation hadn't allowed him to sit still, let alone drift off to a slumber. He was like a kid on Christmas day, impatiently waiting to open his presents. Eagerness drenched off of him. Cody shook his head at the ridiculousness of the situation. This was what a week away from Randy had rendered him into. And yet, a smile couldn't help but creep onto his face.

He was holding onto Randy's every word. Or, in this case, his every text. Therefore, when Randy stopped replying upon his arrival, his irritation picked up and soon after, his worry. He texted him a few times, but no response awaited him. He knew the drive from the airport to hotel wasn't long. The waiting time felt as though two lifetimes had come and gone. From bouncing off the edge of the bed to pacing around the room, Cody couldn't stop himself from being agitated. Nervousness and keenness poured out of his skin. Why hadn't Randy been answering his messages or shown any sign of life?

It was mean, and Randy knew it, but the tattooed man was teasingly prolonging the wait. They'd been apart for this long, so what would an added half hour do? He was intentionally poking Cody, just to discover his reaction.

As soon as he arrived to the premises, he briskly checked in. Per habit, he was handed two keycards, one to his room and the other to Cody's. Smirking as he heard his phone buzz in his pocket, he entered his room and deposited his beloved black duffle bag. He didn't bother taking off his jacket as he immediately headed towards the only man he wanted to see then.

The instant he heard the door creak, Cody halted any pacing around and turned around in a heartbeat. As soon as Randy was through that door, the younger man wasted no time. Cody pounced on him and backed him up against it. Shooting him a blazing, melting look, he looked like a man on the hunt. No space separated them for much longer. Cody grabbed Randy by the collar and killed off the distance between their lips, as he fused his mouth to his'. Breathing was an overrated notion as the two superstars kissed wildly, like there was no tomorrow. They touched as though they'd been deprived of the other's feel for eternities on end. Their tongues held onto each other, hanging on for dear life it seemed. They tugged and swirled around one another, discovered hot mouths further, lathed gums and teeth and determinedly wrestled for dominance, until Randy's surrendered to the immense pleasure. Raven locks were tousled while shorn hair was pulled and clasped by zealous hands. All the while, gasps and moans filled the confines of the room, making for a harmony both men were relishing in.

As he snapped out of the shock emanating from Cody's forcefulness, Randy smiled into the kiss. "Someone missed-"

Cody didn't allow him to carry on as he bit on his bottom lip, drawing a raspy sigh from the older man's throat. Refusing to stop the pecks, Cody slid in his words between them. "Why…didn't you…answer…my texts?"

"I was…I was…trying…to…"

"You talk too much."

Just like that, smiles molding together, the wordless, yet groan-filled make out session resumed.

And that was the fashion in which occurred all of their get-togethers during the upcoming weeks. Soon enough, all of their week's interest and exhilaration was poured into their lustful Tuesday morning rendezvous. Hours worshipping each other's addictive lips, drowning in the other's consuming warmth and shutting off the rest of the world was more than alright in their books.

And, after all, the longer the wait, the sweeter the reunion…

…

Ten days were left on the calendar until Randy's full-time return to the WWE. The preceding weeks very much resembled the ones after and the ones before. Lights, movie and action occupied the duration of The Viper's time in North Columbia. A trip back to the United States every Tuesday had become a highlight of his', as the few hours of bliss spent confined in Cody's room were more than worthwhile. The exhaustion of his travel days went overlooked. Remembering these intimate moments spurred him on.

Talking to Cody and being away remained difficult. Communication was still sparse, much to their consternation. However, on one night, they'd found their lucky break.

The Smackdown roster was one weekend away from heading to Africa as part of their world tour. So, prior to it, they were given a couple of days off to be spent at home. The jet lag and tiredness were going to be inevitable interferers. Therefore, a minimum of physical rest was needed before the big trip. Cody was back in Atlanta and took it upon himself to lounge around and do absolutely nothing, save for the couple of hours spent at the gym.

He'd just cooked himself dinner when he received a mood booster of a text.

'I've got an hour to kill before going back on set. Free to chat?'

With a huge grin on his face, Cody typed back. 'Yes. I'll sign in.'

Firing himself off of the couch, Cody immediately jumped on the computer. Despite his low skills using one, Cody managed to log on rather quickly. Excitedly, he found Randy already online. They put on their webcams and sheepishly smiled at one another.

"Dude…I know the tan was fading but what's up your hair?!"

"Yeah…I'm not exactly happy about having to grow it back again."

"Oh, so they're forcing you to?"

"It's for the role, yeah."

"Man, it's like I'm looking at a 2007 Randy Orton. Minus the baby oil. It's weird." Cody giggled.

"And you don't like that?"

"No, no. I mean, you can grow your hair like you had it for your debut, for all I care. A real sex god, you were." Cody teased.

"At least I never wrestled in neon purple trunks." Randy retorted with a grin.

"You wrestled in salmon trunks!"

"Touché."

After asking each other how they were, Randy informing Cody about the new workout he had discovered which could save him from his chicken legs, Cody answering that it was his only way to stop himself from fully reverting back to fat Randy and even more teasing, the real conversation entered the fray. They hadn't had some one-on-one discussion time in a while, and they both had to fill each other in on a number of subjects. The laughs and banter didn't dissipate, though.

"I've seen little bits of RAW and Smackdown here and there and I've seen how you were doing…"

"Oh yeah? And what do you think?"

"I think you're doing a real good job. You've always been good in tag teams from what I recall."

"Thank you. Yeah, Damien and I, we've hit it off real well."

"You've hit off real well?"

"Yeah, I mean, we have this good synergy. We work well together and we have chemistry to back it up."

"Oh…so you have chemistry, huh?" Randy wondered with a huff.

Picking up on Randy's slight annoyance, Cody promptly realized that his choice of words may have left hints of inadvertent innuendos. The Missourian decided to play off of Randy's amusing jealousy.

"Oh, absolutely. I don't remember having this much chemistry with a tag partner before."

"Really? To that extent?"

"Definitely. I mean, the chemistry, man…you can feel it oozing from the screen."

"Hmm…is that why you two hug all the time?"

A serious look on his face may have appeared on the screen, but on the inside, heaps and heaps of enjoyment were amassing within Cody.

"What can I say, Damien loves his hugs. He has the best hugs, too. So warm and so tight!"

Noticing that Cody was on the verge of laughter, Randy caught up on his charade. "So they're better than mine?"

"We don't exactly…hug. Besides, Damien's hugs are more than enough for me."

"Hmm…well, maybe Damien should keep his hands and arms to himself. We wouldn't want you to have a no-armed man, now do we?"

"And why would he find himself with no arms? Huh?"

"Someone I know very well would gladly pull them off…"

"You make a good point…perhaps I should tell him to back off."

"You should."

With a huge beam, Cody continued. "You're cute when you get jealous."

"I'm not jealous. I'm simply being protective."

"I can use a condom for that."

"Stop being a smartass."

"Your jealous act is adorable."

"You're an asshole."

Clapping his hands, Cody remembered a vital piece of information he wanted to let Randy in on.

"Hey, speaking of assholes…you know that agent I got into an argument with about two months ago?"

Randy noticed how Cody failed to mention their latest altercation. Going along, Randy replied. "Yeah. What about him?"

"Vince got rid of him."

That immediately peaked his interest… "What? When? Why?"

"Don't know. All I know is that Vince was sick of him and his attitude, so a week or so ago, he decided to relegate him to NXT. He's an official there."

"Oh…that's good."

"Yeah. He was a real son of a bitch. I actually got into it with him again, not too long ago, so… I'm fucking glad he's gone, man."

"Yeah…never liked that jackass either…" Randy couldn't help but fall into a deep pool of thoughts. A week or so ago? That wasn't long after he'd gone to shoot his movie…

The meeting he'd enforced on Vince came crawling back into his memory. He recalled complaining, borderline yelling at Vince for keeping this goof around and having him disrespect the talent he'd had, notably Cody… He remembered conveying his disapproval regarding having such an agent backstage, specifically pointing out that he shouldn't have been there to begin with…

Randy knew that, despite the troubles he'd had earlier in the year with his suspension, his name still meant something in the locker room. His stock value hadn't dropped. Notwithstanding his relatively young age, Randy Orton was a leader within his peers. After all, he'd been on the active roster for nearly a decade. He was perfectly aware of the fact that a demand of his' was more synonymous with a command. If he'd been publicly upset, the higher-ups would make sure its source would be eradicated…even if that source happened to be an employee.

Consequently, Randy couldn't help but wonder. Was he the reason behind the agent's demotion? But more importantly, how would Cody react if he found out?

"Randy, is everything alright? You spaced out."

Shaking himself out of the musing he'd been submerged in, Randy pretended as though nothing had busied his mind. "No, nothing. So, tell me. Other than that, what's been going on backstage?"

…

Cody was swaggering his way back from the ring. In that very moment, he was incredibly happy. For the first time in quite some time, he truly felt like he had reached a good, stable point in his career.

He'd just capped off a very successful night on RAW. Not only had Damien and he won a number one contender's match for the Tag Team Championships against Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara, but they also ambushed Team Hell No as a means to set up a program over the titles. Given the champions' astonishing success and the arrogance and ruthlessness they showed, it was safe to say that they drowned in a chorus of boos. A job well done for Team Rhodes Scholars, it was.

The smile gracing Cody was nearly tattooed on his lips. It would not leave him. And why would it? His career was finally on the upswing, there truly was a light at the end of the tunnel…plus, in less than 24 hours, Randy was finally returning to the company. Full-time. And boy, did he miss traveling with him, simply having him by his side, having his mouth on his'…

He'd been walking his head in the clouds, a damp white towel draping off his shoulder until he bumped into one of his favorite agents around, Arn Anderson. Ever since making it to the main roster, he'd been a mentor of his' and genuinely someone he could count on. He'd practically known him his entire life given that the Hall of Famer had been a dear friend of the family's for decades. Naturally, they both stopped to have a chat.

"Cody, my boy, how are you doing?" He greeted Cody with a warm handshake.

"I'm very well, Arn, and yourself?"

"I'm doing great. Listen, I just wanted to let you know you've been doing a hell of a job lately."

"That means a lot, Arn. Thank you so much."

"Don't mention it, kid. You've been killing it. Don't think we haven't been noticing. Everyone's been very happy of the job you've been doing with Sandow. If you two keep it up, I think you two are in line for a title reign."

"Wow, you think so?"

"Definitely. I mean, you've been impressing management a lot, including Vince."

"I'm shocked… I didn't expect Team Rhodes Scholars to grow on them so easily."

"It doesn't shock me. You work well off of one another, you have a good dynamic. Just like a good tag team should. It also helps that you look like you're into what you're doing. It's like there's a renewed fire in you."

"Let's say I've been a lot more motivated lately. For so long, I haven't had much to do and now, I finally, finally have something I can sink my teeth into. You know what I mean?"

"Of course. I'm sure you're grateful Randy helped!"

Very taken aback, Cody found himself swamped in confusion. "I'm not sure I'm following…"

"What I meant is that I'm sure you're grateful that he did what he did."

Softly shaking his head, Cody still didn't understand… "What are you talking about, Arn?"

"You know, how he went up to Vince and stood up for you. Let me tell you, the boy was valiant, he really dished out everything he had to say. He defended you like no other, kept saying that you deserved much better than what you were getting and that they needed to get behind you and see the light. I'm pretty confident he sacrificed his push for your own. I'm also sure he was the one who did us all a favor and got rid of DeMott. He was a pain in the ass, let me you tell that. Like I said, he's a brave one that Orton boy."

His reflexes might have still been functioning, but his brain activity was certainly, positively blocked. Had he really heard what he just heard?

"Oh…of course…very grateful towards him…"

"I had no doubts. Listen Cody, I have to go. Tell your old man I said hello, alright?"

"Sure…"

And with that, Arn passed by Cody with a slap on his sweaty shoulder, leaving him a mental car crash to deal with…

For several hours, Cody couldn't wrap his head around the many pieces of information he'd received from Arn Anderson. He couldn't process them…he couldn't believe that Randy had done what he'd done. He had went up to Vince, became his advocate in all basicity, became the sole reason he'd progressed in his career, triggered the downgrade of the pestering agent and took his independence from his hands…all behind his back.

It only hit him when he'd been sitting in his hotel bed. The numbness that had filled him for hours subdued, leaving utmost anger and irritation to boil over and make him see red. Without further hesitation, he snatched his phone from its spot and frantically dialed Randy's number.

He was directed to his voicemail. Good, Cody thought. That way, he was assured he wouldn't hear any counter to what he had to say.

…

Filming had finally wrapped. As the director finally voiced that final call, a huge weight was lifted off his shoulder. As much fun as the experience was, it was a draining, grueling project to be part of. He was not only going to miss the crew to which he'd grown accustomed to, but also the new, wild adrenaline rushes he'd felt. He was looking forward to participating in an action movie somewhere down the road. But for now, he was more than glad to return to the circus that was WWE.

Truthfully, he had longed for the round-the-clock wrestling. Time away from it made him realize that it truly was his first love. He envied the roster for touring round the country and the world. He couldn't wait to join them once more and do what he did best. Entertain and wrestle in front of raucous crowds, night in and night out… To top it all off, out there, waiting for him, was the man he'd been missing and who he'd wished was there with him every day…

With that thought, Randy entered his homey and luxurious hotel room. He threw all his belongings on the bed and rapidly made his way to the bathroom. He undressed and swiftly found himself standing under the shower. He longingly remained under the interminable rivulets of water, the hot spray doing wonders to his body as he finally let himself relax and simply stop thinking.

Wholly tranquil and refreshed, Randy made his way out of the shower door and securely wrapped a towel around his toned, defined hips. He reemerged in his room, softly plumping down on the bed, enjoying the feel of the linen sheets. Soon after, he found his phone and was greeted by a welcomed notification: one new voicemail from Cody. Thoughtlessly, he picked up the device and brought it to his ears. The smile he'd had instantly dropped.

"Hey, hotshot, big movie star. Care to explain to me why I just found out today that you went to Vince McMahon and interfered in my career? Care to explain why I found out that my entire push, which I thought was because of my work, turned out to be all because of you? Care to explain why you did that, knowing that I'd completely fucking refuse? Like I already have before?! I already told you before to stay out of my career. Oh my God…You knew, Randy, you fucking knew that I wanted to go forward on my own, by myself, without anyone's help. I've worked so fucking hard to reach that goal for the past year and a half of my life, and you took that right away from me! Right away from me, without telling me anything! You knew how much this meant to me. You knew it. But no, you just had to throw your weight around, didn't you Randy? You just had to assert yourself because I wasn't going anywhere. You couldn't let me do this by myself, could you? No, instead, I just have to be forever known as Randy Orton's little lackey, his little apprentice, who could never go anywhere without his fucking master! I know you're as stubborn as all hell but newsflash, Randy. You don't get to be stubborn with me. You don't. Not with me, not my career. Do you hear me? Huh? Do you hear me? Stay away from my career. Just stay the fuck away."

The phone fell right out of Randy's hand.

Oh shit.

…

* * *

_Oh, Randy... He's got some explaining to do. Hope you've enjoyed and please review. :)_


	17. Chapter 17

_Wow, I can't believe it's the 17th chapter of this story. Damn! I hope you guys enjoy this 17th update! Don't forget that a one-shot awaits the author of the 50th review. :)_

* * *

One voicemail. A single voicemail completely shattered Randy's mood. He got caught red-handed. There was no way out of this, no one he could blame, no free-pass excuse. He'd done everything Cody accused him of.

If he were to be frank, Randy had forgotten about the possibility that Cody could find out that he had gone to Vince McMahon and quarreled his way into getting him a push. He hadn't disremembered what he had done, though. It hadn't escaped his mind during his entire stay in North Columbia, notably when Cody had informed him of the agent's demotion. The same demotion he more than advocated for. And yet, Cody discovering the entire ordeal hadn't crossed his thoughts. It was a scenario he simply didn't foresee, despite its inevitability. And that made him want to smack his head into the next century.

Everything Cody had said on that voicemail was true. He couldn't deny that. His claims were completely justifiable. His concerns were valid. His anger was understood.

Admittedly, Randy was aware that if he had run this suggestion by Cody, he would have refused. Most probably. Most definitely. He knew it. But his intentions overshadowed that knowledge. His intentions imposed themselves on the entire situation. They had pushed him to make that move. Contrarily to Cody's accusations, his purposes were good-natured. His ego wasn't the motive, nor was his sense of self-worth. He certainly didn't want to fuck things up for Cody and run down his credibility. It was the last thing he could ever wish upon him.

His only aim was to make Cody happy. It was as simple as that. He had seen the way Cody had been disappointed and let down by his misuse. He was beating himself up for it, despite working his tail off, day in and day out. He truly was doing everything right. The problem though, was that success in the world of WWE came at a heavy cost. That cost signaled a world of hurt and disservice. It wasn't systematic. It wasn't a guarantee. Randy didn't want for Cody to pay it. All that he wanted was to secure him his wellbeing. He was willing to take the fall for him. All for the sake of his happiness.

Now, all that he had to do was voice that to Cody. As soon as he possibly could.

The younger man had ignored all his efforts of redemption. Text messages were unreciprocated, calls went unanswered, voicemails amassed. He had done everything in his power to reach him. However, his attempts had failed. And while a mere 12 hours separated their reunion, it was too long of a time for Randy. Half a day felt like a lifetime was passing by.

What a reunion it was shaping out to be. What was supposed to be an occasion overridden by bliss and lust now signaled looming fights and somberness. More than anything, Randy wanted to overcome the obscurity and darkness that threatened to crack the foundations of what they had.

He knew he'd done wrong by Cody. And he was determined to fix the damage he had done.

Seemingly, everything had been going against him on D-day. His flight had been delayed, which left him to worry that he would barely have time to catch Cody before the show. He was indeed correct in his assumptions. Pressed for time, he had no time to check in at the hotel. He headed straight to the arena from the airport, luggage in toe, which was arduous. Once there, the only thing that posed itself as a priority was looking for Cody and patching things up. Much to his consternation, finding him proved to be quite the challenging task. Cornering him was futile. He'd only gotten a glimpse of Cody when the younger man was making his way backstage after his match. However, he couldn't have stolen a second look. A second later, he'd been out of sight.

In actuality, Cody had spotted the Viper from the corner of his eyes. Not in the mood for face offs, he moved his feet at the speed of light, just as he had done the entire night. As it turned out, Cody had done a masterful job of avoiding the older man, from the minute he had seen him arrive through the gate. His heart fluttered in his chest at the sight of him, as it had for months. Drawn to him like a magnet, he was so tempted to go Randy's way and throw himself in his arms. However, his anger towards him held him back from doing such a thing. It had simmered down and yet, he couldn't shake it off. It wouldn't leave him. The severity of Randy's actions couldn't be shrugged off. They had directly affected his career. In other words, they had touched the one thing that meant the world to him, which would never bode well with him. And while he was usually confrontational, he simply didn't want to hear Randy's side of the story. Because if he did, he knew tensions would fly high.

However, backing down simply wasn't an option for Randy. He wasn't going to allow Cody's dodging game to last.

That was why he ended up frantically knocking on his hotel room. To his disappointment but expectance, he discovered that Cody hadn't left him an extra key down at the reception. After all, why would he grant him free access when he'd been the one person he couldn't stand the most at that moment? Meanwhile, Cody was equally expectant of Randy's imminent arrival. Confliction tore at Cody. On one hand, he wanted the tattooed man to leave him alone and let him sink in irritation. That wish was ticked at by a single, tiny desire to hear Randy out, perhaps let him explain himself, clarify that it was a big misunderstanding… There was no denying that he had missed Randy, so very much. He wanted nothing more than to act as though the entire issue never happened. Pretending only gets you so far, though.

"Cody! Cody!" Randy yelled as he relentlessly kept knocking. "Open the door!" The banging stopped the second Randy had heard soft footsteps on the other side of the wall. Instants later, the door opened to reveal the face he'd been craving to be across from. Oh, how he refrained himself from darting forward and kissing him senseless.

They stared at each other for a while before Cody spoke up, leaning on the door frame.

"What do you want, Randy?"

"To explain myself. To let you know why I did what I did."

Cody didn't budge though. His body language screamed reluctance. His head didn't.

"Just let me in, Cody. Please." Randy pleaded quietly.

Cody moved to the side, clearing the entryway. A wordless invite in. Cody walked back inside and took the edge of the bed. Randy, however, was too strained with nerves to bring himself to sit down. Rubbing his hands and pacing around were the only things he was able to do.

"So," Cody said, annoyance peering through his tone, "are you going to talk or are you just stand there and be quiet?"

"Yeah…yeah…" Randy hesitantly countered. "Look Cody, I didn't mean to do any of the things you said. I…I never meant any harm."

"Yeah, well, you harmed me."

"I didn't-"

Cody winced and stopped Randy with a wave of his hand.

"Don't even dare come in here and say you didn't harm me with what you've done, Randy. Don't even bother. You went to Vince and you got me my time in the spotlight. Once again, my work, my hard ass work didn't pay off. It was your little angry speech that did. How am I supposed to feel about this? What does this do to my credibility? To my reputation?!"

"I thought you didn't care about what people thought…"

"You don't get it, do you? It has nothing to do with other people and what they think of me, Randy. My reputation is not only the way people see me. It's how I perceive myself. How am I supposed to be okay with the fact that I wasn't the one who got myself a push? Call me old-fashioned, but I believe that you are supposed to get your big break with your own blood, sweat and tears. How am I supposed to accept that once again, I got a push because you were in the picture? Even though we're not involved together on TV anymore! Randy, not even my father, my fucking Hall of Famer of a father went to Vince and demanded I got a push. He understands that I need to do this by myself. It's bad enough I have my father and my brother's image to live up to. You of all people should understand that. But now, I have to live up…to your image as well…as Randy Orton's little protégé. His little apprentice. His little pet that can't do anything without him."

Randy kept silent. That was all he was able to do. How could he contradict or dispute any of that? He let Cody vent off the entire load he had on his chest. Maybe it was his only way out, he thought.

"Not only that, Randy, but, your little act got a fucking employee relegated…I'm not gonna say I'm necessarily sad about that, but, still, it's not right!"

"Yeah, well, you shouldn't have let him speak all that shit to you that night."

As soon as those words left his mouth, the urge to hit his head on a brick wall snuck up on Randy. Cody had never quite told him what happened on that fateful night…

Cody's eyes stretched open. His disbelief deepened further. "What?! You saw that?!"

Randy wanted to rewind 30 seconds back. "Uh…"

A sarcastic and cynical snort left Cody's throat. "Oh…oh, okay. So…let me get this straight. You saw that fight with the agent. You heard every little thing that was said. You didn't talk to me about it, not as much as a word of it…but…but you went to talk to Vince instead?!"

"I knew you weren't ready to talk about it…"

"Oh my God. I can't believe it. So, you knew that I wasn't ready to talk about it. You knew I wasn't ready to react to it… and yet YOU decided to take it upon yourself to act upon it?" Randy's head lowered as Cody's decibels ascended. "I'm not a fucking kid anymore, Randy! I'm not the fifteen year old you met anymore! You're not my caretaker and I'm not your fucking apprentice anymore! I am a fucking responsible adult, dammit!"

Moments in silence elapsed.

"Cody, I-"

With a thwarted sigh and a shake of his head, Cody rubbed his hands over his face and dug the heels of his hands right in his eyes, interrupting Randy. "I'm gonna do you a favor Randy, and stop you right there. The more you talk, the more you dig yourself a deeper hole. So just…don't say anything anymore. Just leave."

"Cody…"

"Seriously, Randy. Just go."

Randy knew when his presence was unwanted. That particular moment was a shining example. He wasn't going to impose himself much longer. So he reluctantly walked away. As his hand reached the doorknob, he threw one last glance over his shoulder.

"Just so you know, I only did this so you can be happy. That's the only reason. Nothing else."

And, just like that, he left.

…

The next day, Randy found himself on a flight back to Saint Louis. The company decided to give him the weekend off to recharge his batteries. He hadn't been home in over a month, which meant that he hadn't seen his family at all in that period of time. Therefore, it was only fair that he got the opportunity to take a little break before going back on the road.

Elation pumped through his veins the second he'd seen his precious daughter at the airport. She ran to him and threw herself in his embrace. The biggest of beams was carved on his face. He had missed her very much. In contrast, his wife had greeted him with the most resigned smile and an even more stoic kiss on the lips. He couldn't block out the thought that it was a far cry from the passionate kisses Cody would consume his soul with whenever they reunited.

Cody remained a constant fixture in his head, a pursuing presence that followed him like his shadow. During his entire stay at home, the sheer thought of Cody was his only saving grace. His only way to stay sane. Besides Alanna.

Nothing had been going right for Randy. Cody's unwillingness to speak to him made for a heavy toll. Cody's absence was bad enough. It left a huge, exhuming emptiness within him. But knowing he was mad at him, knowing he begrudged him and resented for what he'd done…it was something else. This time around, their downright, utter separation was a product of Cody's will. And that hurt, way more than any month-long break or sixty-day suspension did. Up until that point, he hadn't felt regret or any remorse for what he had done. It may have been, admittedly, wrong but he had seen the joy and pride that boasted out of Cody's eyes before he found out. The man exuded swagger and confidence, just like as Randy knew and enjoyed him to be. Taking matters into his hand seemed worthwhile.

But now that things had escalated this far, now that things boiled down to this, the Missourian couldn't help but reconsider his stance. Was Cody's sense of satisfaction worth it, knowing it was only ephemeral? Did he let his emotions get the best of him? Ultimately, was it worth having Cody drift apart from him? From them?

Furthermore, the situation with his wife was deteriorating incrementally. His bad mood wasn't helping, but neither were her actions. He'd thoroughly tried to ignore her, disregard her many attempts at picking up a fight. However, pressing situations were simply unavoidable. When he got awoken in the AM by his daughter gently tapping on his knee, asking where her mommy had went, she had taken it too far. Overlooking an issue of such gravity and seriousness was unfathomable. Ever since that night, closing his eyes became a difficult task out of precaution.

The explosive fights kept on rolling. Volatility wouldn't leave the air, as the other's ability to parent was seemingly in question permanently. Accusations of recklessness and irresponsibility led to never-ending fights, some of which were unfortunately witnessed by their daughter, leaving her in tears at times. Each falling drop tore at Randy, who responsibly attempted to halt those arguments whenever that occurred. Futility was the theme, as Sam was often determined to make a scene. The intensifying, combustible status quo was dragging Randy to depths of fury he hadn't reached in months. Going back on the road was more than utopic, at that point.

He needed Cody. More than ever. He so desperately wanted to reach out to him. He would have given anything to have a touch of him and let himself be submerged in oblivion. That was why he persistently went after him. He didn't expect a response that he wasn't going to get. But, it didn't change the fact that it was the only way to stay bonded to Cody. He knew, for a fact, that none of his texts went by unread. None of his voicemails went by unheard. And his knowledge was reality.

Not a single one of them wasn't checked out and scrutinized meticulously. Cody had more than once found himself replaying messages, analyzing each word and each note in Randy's tone. It had taken every ounce of his will to not pick up the phone and call him like he'd wanted to. As the days went by, his wrath lessened. His perspective got clearer.

Cody recognized that he was primed for a tag team push. And, the truth was, as ill-fated as it may seem, it wasn't as fundamental as having the spotlight as a singles competitor. In addition to that, a title run with Damien Sandow was far from certain. It was nothing more than a slight consideration. His effort was going to have to prove dividend. Therefore, Randy hadn't done all the work… But even as those realizations came raining down on him, he knew he couldn't give into Randy so easily. He was lucky the push wasn't all that major. Randy's actions may have not been extremely detrimental, but they could have been. His stubbornness had to be kept in check going forward. And in order to assure that, he needed to stand his ground, teach him a lesson, and keep mum.

However, one voicemail made his once-solid resolve crumble. Randy's voice sounded off, but more than anything, his words sparked his intrigue.

"Hey Cody. Just wanted to check in. Again… So, I hope you're doing okay. I can't say it's the case for…no, whatever. Never mind… I just wanted to let you know that…I've been thinking about it… And… I never wanted things to end up this way. I…I should've come to you. I was so…mad. For you. And, I don't know. I just snapped. If I could take it back I would. I realize that now. I…not talking to you has been killing me. But um, I'll leave you alone, let you calm down by yourself…I owe you as much. Just know that I'm sorry. I'll see you soon, I guess."

The words 'I'm sorry' rarely left Randy's mouth. If they did, then they'd been deeply meant. Randy seemed dejected, almost lost. Cody couldn't recall Randy being so desperate to talk to someone. That desperation came across as pure and utter sadness, markedly through his voice. Those were states of mind he'd been the catalyst of… Besides that, Randy's almost-admission of not being alright didn't go by unnoticed. Immediately, two and two were put together and Cody figured that things had obviously taken a turn for the worse with Sam.

Perhaps it was time to appease his misery…

'Hey. I'm fine. We'll talk about everything when you fly out here. Hope you're ok too."

And, with that one text, a glimmer of hope flashed through Randy.

…

Since that first sign of life on Cody's behalf, brief, platonic texts were exchanged between both men. It wasn't much – but a start, no less. They didn't interact at all prior to Randy's arrival to Charlotte, North Carolina for RAW. In both of their estimations, seeing each other face-to-face would probably be less uneasy. They were definitely looking forward to that…

As fate would have it, the atmosphere backstage was more frantic than usual. The lineup for the show was incessantly altering, leaving agents and writers to run around, pulling superstars left and right to explain the changes in plans. Once he'd stepped through the security check, Randy was instantly rushed into the creative office to be informed of what had been in the cards for him. The second he'd stepped back out in the main hallway, his eyes dashed around for Cody. His vision was completely betrayed though, as the overcrowded space was impossible to examine. It truly was rush hour, WWE style. Not even his roasting glares could have kept the masses of bodies at bay. He had to slither in between people to get to the locker room, which proved to be more complicated than it should've been. Eventually people cleared out as he went along. The Apex Predator thought the coast was clear. That was, until he harshly bumped into someone, front on. Just as he was ready to tear that person a new one, his gaze softened as he took in who was in front of him. He was laying eyes on him. On Cody.

"Hey…"

"Hey…"

"Sorry I-" Cody muttered.

"It's cool." Randy reassured.

For a while, all words died on their tongues. Blatantly starting was the sole activity their brains allowed them to pursue. They had missed being able to simply look at one another, take each other in.

"So-"

"Cody! Vince wants to see you and Damien now." Just as Randy was about to speak up, a crew member popped up at the corner of the hallway and called out for Cody.

"I'll be right there." Cody returned his blue orbs back to Randy's. He didn't want to go. Longingly gazing, he found his voice. "Listen…why don't you come by my hotel room after the show? I left you a keycard at the reception…we can talk then."

"Cody, let's go!" The crew member insisted.

"I'll be there." Randy quickly responded before Cody eventually walked away.

…

Randy was on his way out of his hotel room, prepared to head to Cody's. With a few extra drops of his favorite perfume, and a better than average appearance sported, Randy was a man on a mission for persuasion. If his words were going to fail him, seduction would be his backup plan.

He'd been yearning for Cody, borderline aching for him. On that night, he refused to fail at getting back in the younger man's good graces. He was beyond ready to get lost in him and forget the rest of the world. An obsessive obligation, it had become.

With a deep breath, he set about leaving. Just as he was making his exit, he heard his phone ring in his jacket pocket. He had no intention on bringing it along. No distractions were going to be permitted on this occasion. Out of provision, he returned inside and fished out the little device.

As soon as he noticed the caller ID, his eyebrow quirked immediately. It was his mother. They'd always stayed in touch, but never did she call after a show. Finding it quite bizarre, he connected the call. How he wished he hadn't.

His mother's voice signaled an alarming incident and the content of her words even more so. She informed Randy that Sam had unceremoniously showed up at her doorsteps earlier in the day and dropped off Alanna in the hastiest of manners, claiming an unidentified albeit demanding event had popped up. Hours had passed, and she still hadn't reemerged. That was the extra drop of water tipping over the glass. He plopped down on the bed, and ceaselessly dialed Sam until she picked up. His face had taken a shade of red. He was livid, incensement bleeding out of his pores. Shit was about to hit the fan.

…

Cody was lying down on his bed, waiting. Waiting for what felt like infinities to lapse. Waiting for Randy to arrive.

He'd already, without even noticing, forgiven Randy. It had been a week since he'd found out. Seven days of holding grudges against him felt like too much time, fully aware that Randy's intentions were to offer him the best on a silver platter. In equal levels, he wanted to sort things out with Randy. Sooner much rather than later. It was the sole desire running through him. To simply go back to the amazing place they had wound up in together. That was all he wanted.

And so, he reclined his body on the soft mattress, waiting. The seconds ticked by, and slowly, so did the minutes. Progressively, worry crept up on Cody. He couldn't help but wonder why Randy was late. His mind got to racing, exploring a diversity of possibilities. Had Randy bailed out on him? Did he get cold feet? Was it possible that he just didn't care enough to show up? Should he go to him instead and confront him?

As he realized that his paranoia had gone to work, Cody shook his head. He knew he was being absolutely delirious. He inhaled deeply and figured something must have popped up. That Randy would show up at any moment. Patience was virtue.

But the clock kept on ticking. And still no sign of Randy. And his heart kept on sinking further as disappointment threatened to take over.

Just as he was about to call it a night and give up on the cause altogether, a beeping sound slit the silence. Randy was here. His dark, tall figure made its way into the room, subjected to Cody's scrutiny. The Georgian kept his arms crossed, anticipating hearing excuses. But they never came. As a matter of fact, no words were uttered. Confused by the muteness, Cody lifted his head. The visual awaiting him stirred every smidgen of concern within him. Randy's head sloped down. His grey eyes took on a bitter, polar hue. His fists were clenched. Cody could've sworn he was trembling.

Even if he were to control himself, he wouldn't have stopped his body from launching itself up and standing by Randy's. The anxiety was etched on Cody's face. Something was terribly amiss.

"Randy, what's wrong?" Cody softly inquired.

No answer was given. Randy didn't even twitch. His head remained low. His eyes wouldn't meet Cody's. Cody wouldn't let the wordlessness carry on. His hands grabbed Randy's face, forcing the glacial irises to meet his'. Affection encountered numbness.

"Randy, what happened?" Cody concernedly questioned, trying to search his face for any emotion.

"She…she…"

"She what? What did she do?"

"She…she threatened to leave," Randy cringed, "…and take Alanna away from me…"

Cody's heart broke for Randy. He knew more than anyone how much Alanna meant to him. How she possessed the biggest part of Randy's soul. How much that threat would cut him open.

"Come here…"

Cody took Randy in his arms, in the tightest, warmest embrace. One that beckoned that he would never let him go. One that signaled he would always be there for him. He guided them to the bed where they laid down. Not once did they scoot away from each other, not even an inch. Cody's arms encircled Randy's still quivering figure, laying the most delicate kiss on his forehead, forgetting that he was mad at him in the first place…

...


	18. Chapter 18

_If you're reading this, thank you very much. I'm sorry if it took long to post this chapter. Hopefully it doesn't suck too much and you can enjoy it. :)_

* * *

As time mindlessly passed away, both superstars remained motionless, curled up in a world of welcomed lenience and thoughtlessness. Randy's head laid on Cody's chest, eyes closed, indulging in the comfort that his embrace provided. He clutched onto the other man, desperately trying to forget the inner turmoil provoked by the mere thought of losing his daughter. His daughter, the pride and joy of his life, the same daughter who'd been the top priority in his life. Cody's soothing warmth and reassuring presence progressively sucked the inner mayhem out of him, throwing it in a forgotten recess of his mind.

Cody waited until the tension in Randy's body dissipated before he allowed words to leave his mouth.

"You know she won't take her away, don't you?"

At that question, Randy tensed up. Cody was quick to react. His hands moved up and down his arms, reminding him that no margin of fear was meant to be felt. That didn't mean they weren't going to talk about it, though…

Moments elapsed before a reply came. "What makes you so sure…?"

"She can never go away without her. You're her father. She won't go that far."

"You don't know that…she's crazy enough to do it."

"She can't be that crazy to-"

"You didn't hear her on the phone, alright?" Randy coughed, noticing he'd let irritation get the best of him. It was his turn to feel Cody tense up. So, taking a breath he calmed himself. "You didn't. She didn't sound like she was kidding around."

"What happened?"

"I got a phone call from my mom…and she told me Sam showed up without notice and dropped off Alanna. Like a sack of fucking potatoes. Without giving out any excuse. So, I kept calling and calling until she picked up… I called her out on what she did. She said I had no fucking reason to be mad at her because she had an emergency at work. She said that I wasn't even in a position to bitch and moan about anything she did to Alanna. I stopped right there and told her to cut the shit, that I was her father and that there was nothing she could do about that. I mean, I still have a say in what happens to my daughter, God dammit! She…she told me that I didn't, because I'm not the one raising her. She is… She said I should be thankful she was still around since she was taking care of everything. I told her that I was working, working my ass off, making a living for the whole family, you know? She said that she worked too, that she was holding up her end of the bargain and that she was bound to get emergency calls… And that…that, um…" His words were intercepted by a forlorn sigh, a sigh that was met with more feathery touches of Cody's hand. "That if I didn't like it, that if I wasn't okay with it then…then maybe she should take Alanna and leave with her…"

"And what did you say?" Cody inquired after Randy paused for a second too long.

"Obviously I objected…I told her there was no way she could do this, no way, because, I'm Alanna's father, that she had no fucking right to bolt with my own flesh and blood…she said 'watch me'…and she hung up." A cynical laugh escaped Randy's mouth. "That's what happened."

"You know she'll never go through with it. You're her dad."

"It won't matter to her at the end of the day."

"Okay, look at it this way. You provide for everything. Do you seriously think she could go on living the way she does now if you weren't around?"

"No, but-"

"There are no buts, Randy. She is just trying to scare you. She knows Alanna is your weakness."

Brief moments in silence passed before Cody spoke up once more. "Besides, if you ever tell your mother about it, she'd stalk Sam's every move and raid the house better than a bomb squad would."

A little snicker emitted from Randy's lips, much to Cody's contentment. "That, she would."

Cody's palms scooted further up Randy's arm, lightly brushing up his way over his biceps, shoulders, and down. The older man basked in the touches, touches that involuntarily left little sparks on their trail.

"You don't have to worry about it."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Positive. I promise."

And just like that, this somewhat unfunded promise left Randy submerged in a sea of reassurance. More hopeful thoughts flooded his mind as he let himself sink in the warmth provided by Cody. He knew losing his daughter would be a constant, nagging worry. But for now, it'd been silenced. And he hoped it would stay that way. And, with Cody by his side, he knew for a fact that it would.

Randy relaxed increasingly, melting further into Cody's serene clasp. They stayed motionless, static for what felt like the longest time. Cody dared to move when he'd felt the tattooed man going limp in his arms, meaning that he'd fallen asleep. He reached for his phone on the bedside table, checking the time. As suspected, the wee hours of the morning had descended upon them. Stepping away from the bed, he gently deposed Randy's once-invading limbs over on the mattress. He tossed his shirt off of his body and quietly grabbed a pajama shirt from his duffle bag. Soft and light were his movements, all in an effort to keep Randy's slumber undisrupted. For now, the bathroom would be his next stop.

Not bothering to lock the door behind him, Cody trudged his way towards the sink. He turned the right metal knob, opting for cold water to come streaming down. He splashed it on his face, the feel of it feeling as though ice was meeting fire. Blindly grabbing a nearby towel, he wiped the droplets off of his features. His blue irises chanced a glance up at the mirror. A startling reflection awaited them.

Cody's usually vivid face was tired. His under eye bags were more pronounced. His orbs flailed down. Paleness tinted the skin. He looked exhausted. His physical appearance translated the cracks of his inner state.

Emotionally, he was beat, edging on worn out. Following a week of frustration, angst and anger eating away at his consciousness, he had to deal with the weight of Randy's world falling down on his own shoulders. While he couldn't deny that the Missourian's problems personally hit him harder than anyone else, it didn't mean that they didn't crash down on him, too. It was understandable in the sense that, in order to help someone out in their issues, one had to experience them. Try to put themselves in the other's shoes and attempt to sense what they, in turn, felt. That was the manner in which Cody proceeded, as it had forever been. He comprehended Randy's pains as they'd gone along over the years, related to his fears and concerns, accompanied him through the brighter times. But now, now those ties had deepened. They carried more within them. So much more. Now that they had taken a step further, changed the course of the foundations that linked them, the emotional involvement that came along became that much greater. Being there for each other became a bigger, heftier responsibility. The other's sentiments were at a closer reach. They were rawer, felt more real. Worries were no longer understood. They were shared. They were united. The pressure became much more significant.

The thought of losing Alanna devastated Randy. How could it not? That little girl meant the whole world to her father. And while that threat was more than likely empty-handed, it still bared some seriousness. Arriving to the point where one of the partners threatened to flee with a child indicated how badly Sam and Randy's marital state was worsening. Visibly, that affected Randy to a high level. And yet, the underlying, overlooked player in this entire ordeal was Cody. He too felt the toll weigh down on him. He'd been the one to take care of Randy through all his trials and tribulations, notably with his wife. And while he wouldn't have it any other way, managing a situation where Sam was involved wasn't getting easier in time. The difficulty hadn't eased down, if anything, it augmented. After all, his liaisons with her husband weren't exactly fitting. Therefore, how could his turmoil wane down? Cody was trapped between a rock and a hard place. If it were anybody but Randy, he wouldn't have found himself so fervently compromised. But this was Randy. It was, and he realized that that compromise was something he was going to have to go through, and willingly…

The musings held Cody captive. He'd been so caught up in his contemplations than he didn't hear increasingly loud footsteps, signaling that a new presence had joined him in the bathroom. It was only when chiseled arms wrapped around his waist and that the ever familiar mystic, musky scent invaded his nostrils that his reverie faded. His back instantly melted against the broad chest. His head rolled back onto a firm shoulder as soft breaths dangerously approached his ear shell.

"Hey…" A low voice rumbled.

"Hey yourself…" Cody replied.

"Why aren't you in bed?"

"I just needed to freshen up, that's all…"

"Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, yeah. Are you?"

"Yeah…" A comfortable moment in silence went and gone hurriedly. "Do you forgive me?" As those words hit the air, Randy rested his jaw on Cody's shoulder. The younger man titled his head to the right, his head fully facing Randy's.

"For what?"

"For last week, for tonight, for everything…"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?

Cody nodded his approval.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't. It's fine."

The gaze that merged them escalated in smolder, each man holding up the other's for a few instants. It didn't take long before Randy's face neared Cody's, closing off all distance, finally tasting the lips he'd longed for. The ones he'd missed. The ones he hadn't touched in far too long. The pecks were slow, languid, the need to simply feel being all too overpowering. Teeth delicately tugged on tender lips that never wanted to separate. Smoothly, seams were inspected, mouths were breached, tongues were probed and breaths were generously robbed. The heat was on the rise, engulfing them, consuming them to their very cores. And yet, the placid and peaceful pace was never interrupted. Never ceased. They kissed with abandon. No franticness. No rush. They were well and truly lost in one another.

The contact was eventually cut, only to make way for a different one. Randy's lips leisurely went for a downward journey, kissing their way from the side of Cody's face to the velvety skin of his neck. All the while, the mirror had become a silver screen of its own, Cody watching the positively sensual scene play out in front of him through half-open lids, tightening his lower regions that much more. Those same lids got screwed shut the second Randy's teeth grazed his pulse point. The smallest bites and suctions led to orbs rolling back, quickening breaths and raspy moans hitting the air, playing the sweetest of melodies in Randy's estimation. Cody had passed the point of being enthralled. The way Randy's mouth worked his skin. The way his hands took care of his body. It was all too much for him.

He didn't even realize how far Randy had advanced. All he was able to do was enjoy the resulting bliss. Randy's large palms had left his upper torso. Gradually, ever so subtly, they roamed over his bare body, massaging the most sensitive areas, ministering every inch possible. It was only when his hands commenced the conquering of unvisited territory that Cody's attention was solicited. A panting gasp hitched in his throat as nimble, tentative fingers charted the unexplored area of his groin. They surveyed it, queried it, and quickly enough, familiarized with it. They fondled with the nested bulge forming in his pants. The sensation was new. Very new. But somehow, it didn't feel weird. Nor refutable. As a matter of fact, it lured Randy in. It interested him. He wanted to discover it even more. The lust sent him into overboard.

His fingers hooked onto the hem of Cody's sweatpants, making quick work of them as they indolently fell to his knees. The euphoria filled his mind, dwindling down the remaining bits on consciousness within him. His hand tightly reached for the nape of Randy's neck, like it was his last anchor binding him to earth. He was pretty certain he wasn't even awake. The sensation was so intense. He never wanted it to stop…

But as Randy was going to pull down the very last piece of clothing covering his nakedness, the smallest voices of reason rang frantic alarm bells in Cody's head. It couldn't happen now, it couldn't…

"Randy…we can't…" Cody breathlessly whispered.

Those short words froze Randy to the spot. His movements came to a halt in a shot. His once-darkened eyes cooled down to their original chilly hue, surprise and concern gushing out of them.

Cody shook his head. "We can't…not like this…"

"What do you mean…? Why?" Sadness couldn't help but drench from Randy's every word.

"Because…because you're not in the right frame of mind…and we can't…we can't like that." Cody answered, still struggling to find his composure once more.

Randy backed his way from Cody, rubbing his hands, his icy blues wandering the floor, choosing a random white tile to focus on.

"I'm so sorry…" Now was the Apex Predator's turn to be uncertain. However, Cody never meant to make him feel that way. Doing the right thing often came with a price. Because putting a stop to what threatened to take place was the right thing. But never did he want that price to be Randy's confidence in what they had.

"Hey, come here…" Cody tried getting a hold of Randy, who jerked away from him. But Cody had no intention of shifting. Imposing himself, he invaded the taller man's personal space and forced his head up.

"You don't have to be sorry." Cody murmured, carefully, tenuously stroking his cheekbone.

"I do...I do…"

"You don't." At that, Randy's eyes found Cody's, the latter taking advantage of that added fusion. "It's not like that…it's just…if it happens, I don't want us to be distraught. I don't. I want us to be clear headed…I really do…"

Randy remained irresponsive, albeit maintaining Cody's stare. The youngest Rhodes took it as a good sign. He insisted on making things better. It was about time they did. So, swiftly, he reached for his hand and pulled him away with him.

"Come on…let's go to bed. We could both use the rest."

…

The weeks that followed that night signaled much better times for Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton. After turbulent ups and downs, their relationship had finally stabilized. Finally, they were able to indulge in the other's presence. No bumps on the road collided with them. Inevitably, they returned to all of their previous antics and habits. Somehow, ever since that auspicious night, moments together were seemingly more cherished. It seemed quite impossible, but they truly were.

With every day they grew more attached. No ruptures took place. Even then, they wouldn't be allowed. They were strictly prohibited. They no longer wanted roller-coaster rides. The simplicity they'd been so accustomed to for years was one they valued more than anything.

The reinstated tranquility and fulfillment was additionally amplified by the state of their careers which were seemingly on the upside. Randy was on his way back to the top of the mountain while Cody seemed prepped and primed for a Tag Team Championship reign with Damien Sandow. Optimism surged through their lives.

It was November 13th. Tapings in Cleveland, Ohio were on the horizon. Cody was wrestling on Main Event in a championship bout against Team Hell No. Team Rhodes Scholars wasn't scheduled to win the gold. Fortunately though, their loss didn't symbolize the end of their title hunt, as the feud between the two teams was slated to continue moving forward.

Everything was sailing along effortlessly. The crowd was incredibly lively, while the action was fast and furious. That was, everything came crashing down.

Kane had lifted Cody up for a back body drop. The landing went terribly wrong. As soon as Cody's body hit the canvas, an acute pain throbbed all throughout his left shoulder. Something had snapped. Not only could have he felt the pop, but he was pretty sure he had heard it, too. Rolling down to the floor, Cody buried his face in the edge of the ring, attempting to suppress the pain. Proficiently, the medics rushed to the ringside area and checked up on him. Ever the workhorse, Cody tried making his way back into the match and finishing it. However, not only did the trainers refuse, but so did his own partner, who didn't even permit him to tag in. As the minutes went on, the ache progressed, evident by his aggrieved facial expressions. Fury rained down on him while a silent countdown until the end of this match ensued in his brain...

Meanwhile, Randy was throwing a gasket backstage. He'd seen it all. He'd watched the match right from the opening bell. He was anxious to see how his man performed in a 20-minute time slot. His excitement turned into terrible anger and concern as soon as Cody's bad landing occurred. It looked really wicked, and from the look of Cody's face, it felt like it, too. Pacing around the monitor area like a crazed man, the urge to go out there and take him to the doctor's pulsed through him. Its impossibility kept him grounded though, but it didn't stop his worry from rapidly swelling. Just as he was looking to find an official and negotiate an abrupt end to the bout, he got word that Cody was being tended to in the trainers' room. Without a wasted second, he joined him there.

He entered the room to find the main doctor finishing up the taping of Cody's shoulder. The wounded superstar was wincing yet trying to uphold his bravest front forward. Typically.

"What's the diagnosis, doc?" Randy prudently inquired.

"Thankfully, Cody here dodged a bullet. From the looks of it, it's most likely a tear in his shoulder socket. We'll still need to confirm it with an X-ray, but I'm guessing he won't need surgery." Turning his attention to Cody, the medic specified the needed measures. "Obviously Cody, you cannot use your left arm for anything. Anything! You need to keep it still as much as possible until you are able to use it again. Someone's gonna have to do all of the heavy lifting for you tonight, like packing, bag lifting, you name it."

"I'll take care of it. All of it." Randy quickly retorted.

"Perfect, Randy. Now, I'm just gonna go have a word with the officials, let them in on how you're doing. I'll be right back, Cody."

"Okay. Thanks, doc."

When he exited the room, Randy approached Cody, who was sitting on the edge of a gurney. He increased the proximity between them. Moving his hand up and down Cody's glistening thigh, a sympathetic smile broke out as he felt the goose bumps following his every touch.

"How are you feeling?"

"Well, obviously my shoulder hurts…but it's better. The pain's more tolerable."

"Good. I'm glad. Don't worry, I'll take good care of you tonight."

Cody mirrored a smile, a smile that conveyed pure and utter appreciation for the man in front of him. He liked witnessing the protectiveness in him. However, that same smile hid some sadness waiting to be released. He'd have to break the inevitable news to him.

He grabbed Randy's hand and took his time in intertwining their fingers, staring at how suitably they molded together. Biting his lip, he ultimately raised his face, only to find Randy watching him apprehensively. He wasn't going to leave him hanging that much longer. Taking a breath, and looking deeply into the clear eyes he adored, he finally spoke up.

"Randy, they're sending me back home. And I don't even know when I'm gonna be able to come back."

...


	19. Chapter 19

_Hello again! I'm here with a brand new update for you guys. I really hope it doesn't disappoint you, I really do._

* * *

The remainder of the night transpired rather gloomily. Cody was in the gratefully helping hands of trainers until Randy was done with his main event match on Smackdown. No wasted motion went in after the Viper had finished wrestling his bout. He hurried his way into the showers, where he raced into cleaning all of the gluey sweat off of his body. He nonchalantly dried himself off, carelessly threw on his clothes, hoisted up both his bag and Cody's and hassled to pick up the injured superstar.

He made sure Cody's shoulder remained as static as it could possibly be, from putting his luggage in the trunk to opening up the car door and shutting it after him. The journey back to the hotel was relatively quiet, Cody pensively staring out of the window whereas Randy was concentrated on the dim road ahead of him. All the while, the older man kept a close eye on his passenger. He often observed him through discrete sideway glances, only to find his head turned away each and every time.

"Is everything okay?"

"Hmm?" Cody mumbled as he was awakened from his hypnosis, keeping his eyes keen on the window.

"I said, is everything okay?"

"Yeah…I mean, I…I couldn't stay uninjured forever, right?" Cody forlornly responded, still refusing to nudge his eyesight. It was a detail that went noticed and unwanted by Randy.

"Look at me…" The younger man didn't comply. "I said look at me, Cody."

Frown stamped on his face, he succumbed. "What, Randy? What do you want?" He countered, annoyance laced with his words.

Randy was taken aback by that tone, a tone that was much softer back in the locker room, before he'd gone out for his match and left him in the trainers' room. But in that duration, time for thinking was very much abundant, and Randy couldn't blame him for being taken over by animosity. And so, he was willing to quell that animosity down.

"What's wrong?"

With a hostile puff, Cody retorted. "What do you mean 'what's wrong'? I'm injured, Randy, I'm injured. I'm not supposed to be all fine and dandy about that. My shoulder fucking hurts and I'm angry! It's just my luck, isn't it? I mean, everything was looking up. And I just had to be put on the shelf in the middle of a fucking push, didn't I? Finally, everything was alright, everything was going smoothly and…" Clenching his right fist and lowering his gaze, he tried to calm himself, to tame his frustrations, to maintain his poise. "And…now, now the little bit of stability that I've fought so hard for all? I'm losing it all over again..."

By the end of his little tirade, his tone had softened. He raised his eyes, meeting Randy's. A desolate, prolonged, meaningful look was all it took to confirm Randy's unspoken suspicions. Cody wasn't only talking about his career…

"We can't get a break, Randy…every time we find a good place, something bad has to happen. Something bad has to happen and our good place gets taken away…every damn time…and I'm just sick of it…so sick of it."

All the cards had been laid down on the table, and just like that, what felt like heavy punches were laid down on Randy's chest. His heart pretty much sank. The mere implications that were insinuated resembled torrents of blows, each one ripping at him. The lack of hope, the pessimism, the surrender, the resentment, that fell through with each and every one of Cody's words were like daggers.

The roles were now reversed. While Cody wouldn't stop fixating the older man, Randy couldn't bear to look at him much longer. Instead, he set his focus on the empty street ahead, white knuckles tightly clenching onto the steering wheel, trying desperately to bury the crushing hurt menacing to overwhelm him…

It took a few minutes for the weight of his own words to truly hit Cody. Little by little, he soaked them in. The more he did, the more he regretted them. Never was it his intention to spit out so much venom and bitterness along with them. And who exactly was on the receiving end of them? The man who was just trying to be there for him? The man who was just having his back? The man he upheld no resentment towards? The man who he was sharing with something so profound he didn't remotely regret?

A red light stopped the car in its tracks. Randy remained immobile. As Cody slightly tilted in his seat and opened his mouth to making his remorse known, Randy cut him halfway. He grabbed his head with both of his hands and vigorously smashed his lips onto his'. The forcefulness was almost, almost painful. But this was no ordinary kiss. This kiss was the outlet to his emotions. It was about making a statement. As he invaded his mouth with all of his might, pouring everything he had into it, every emotion, every bit of sorrow within him, Randy was sending him a message. Cody may have been willing to throw in the towel and give up on them but he wasn't. He really, really wasn't. And he wouldn't let Cody do that.

"We're going to be okay…" Randy commanded against Cody's lips. "Do you hear me? We're going to be okay."

Eyes closed, holding tightly on the hands firmly cradling his face, Cody nodded as he pecked his lips once more. "I know." He whispered. "I know."

Once the light turned green, Randy reluctantly let go of him, shifting back into his original position. As they rode into the night, Randy fought with tremors, as the hand he'd been resting on the gear stick entangled with five fingers sliding in between his', resolutely clinching his palm…

…

After a night of simply enjoying every passing moment and one painful drive to the airport, more somber days looming around awaited them.

For Randy, they were hell to pay. The schedule was beyond gruesome. It was packed with non-stop travelling, and no breaks in between. Late night flights enchained with early morning bus rides as well as taking bumps and bruises each and every single day. It was nothing he wasn't used to. After all, a decade of the same rhythm of life had predictably become encrypted in his blood. But, he didn't realize just how much Cody's absence would have made such a difference.

They'd toured and journeyed around the world, doing everything together. Therefore, it was only normal that, without realizing it, Cody had become an essential part of Randy's everyday life. Yet, for the first time in years, Randy was left all by himself on the road. Throughout the years, he had done a fine job of secluding himself in his little bubble of dark clouds and obscurity, letting open the door for Cody, and Cody alone. But now, he was taken out of the equation. And it didn't feel right, not in the slightest. He was on his own, no one to share his life with. Adapting with that missing gap in his world proved to be much more difficult than he had hoped for.

At first, moping around all alone, through endless hotels, locker rooms and empty rental rides, was what he stuck by. But that solitude was short-lived once Ted came around and forced him out of his rut, much like he had done with Cody in the past. The son of the Million Dollar Man refused to let his friend slope in isolation, knowing very well just how hard it was for Randy to adjust to anyone that wasn't Cody. Gradually, the Apex Predator was pulled into an increased number of social situations, where he had once again managed to withdraw himself, at least mentally, to let his thoughts drift back to Cody.

It wasn't the first time they had gone their individual ways. That was the least they could have said, especially in more recent times. As a matter of fact, it seemed that the more they'd gotten closer and more intimate, the more partings they had to face. There was nothing they could have done about it, no way to change fate. But for some reason, this was the hardest separation Randy had to accept to date. Because, the truth was, during all of the previous occasions, Cody had been the one to face the pandemonium, never-static gig life, all by himself. Now, the tables had turned on Randy. Now, he was the one abandoned on the road, left with a void to dwell upon. The infinite texts and sporadic yet lingering phone calls were nowhere near enough to mend the sorrow draining him to the brim. He'd missed the younger man. More than he'd ever let his pride admit. Was that how Cody had felt all along? Was that what he had to go through?

Meanwhile, back in Atlanta, the distance certainly wasn't doing Cody any favors, either. On the contrary. He, too, longed for Randy. It was an emotion that he'd come to experience and master, but it was even rougher to deal with it now that he was sidelined and handling the aftermath of his injury solo. But Cody wasn't one to sit around and capitulate to his distress. He attempted to put it in the back of his memory by burying himself into physiotherapy and intensive rehab.

Returning home and not wrestling for more than a week felt completely out of place for Cody. He felt as though his life had gone completely out of tune. The lack of everyday traveling, wrestling, wild crowds, and locker room atmosphere was driving him crazy. But, that week doubled, and the insanity that ran through him had increased just as much. Never did he realize at what point he was hooked onto what he did for a living. All the hurt and fatigue that came along were nothing compared to the satisfaction and meaningfulness it brought into his life.

But his job wasn't the only thing he was hooked onto and that he couldn't wait to get back to. A certain Viper had become just as addictive in his book.

Randy didn't know just how much impact he was indirectly having on Cody's journey to recovery. He truly didn't. He didn't realize how a mere phone call turned around a woeful, dolorous day. He didn't realize how the simplest of advice changed his outlook on his rehabilitation. He didn't realize how the fact that he never stopped asking, that he was just there for him was the greatest of mental support to Cody. He had become, just as much as his career, the most important of motivations.

That was why he downright threw himself into the process of healing his shoulder. It had become his sole and intent purpose that he needed to fulfill, as quickly as possible. He had spent as much time as one could have in his condition at the doctor's, at the gym, with his trainer. He pushed himself to limits that his will power was just beginning to dig into. 'No pain, no gain' had become his way of life. Never had he believed in a mantra this much.

His beyond hard work didn't go unrewarded. It paid off. By the end of day 10, he was able to take off his cast. By the end of the second week, he'd been able to hit the weights and strictly train his shoulder. His go-to physician was so impressed, it edged on disbelief. Never had he witnessed such rapid progress for a shoulder tear.

Gradually, things started to be alright for Cody. The rough patch was slowly, but surely disappearing. The light at the end of the figurative tunnel was unreached, but finally in sight. Maybe everything was going to be okay, after all.

But while things were looking up for the Georgia-native, Randy couldn't say the same for himself. After numerous, long, limitless days, the Smackdown roster was ultimately given a few days to recuperate at home. It was fortunate news for anyone not named Randy Orton. As it turned out, his lack of enthusiasm was perfectly justified.

Ever since she threatened to take their daughter, Sam hardly came into contact with Randy. Except for the regular, pass-me-Alanna calls, barely any words were exchanged between the two spouses, and Randy was completely fine with that. Nonetheless, managing a marital relationship over the phone was so diametrically different than in real life. Because face-to-face, their relationship had turned painful. Intolerability had become the best way to describe it.

The happiness that his daughter brought him was immediately and automatically suppressed by his wife. While Alanna greeted him with warm, booming hugs, Sam greeted him with smug nods. While Alanna showed him drawings of a cheerful family, Sam showed him sundry shades of revulsion. And although no fight or impulsive confrontation had broken out, the awkward, noxious silence had proven to be a worse adversary. The tension that had grown between them had become so thick. Too thick, it could have been cut with a knife. The tension rendered into discomfort, discomfort that constricted the air, making it hard to breathe. It was suffocating and the need to get out of the confines of his house invigorated Randy more times than it didn't. Sam's mere presence had become a lethal poison. Randy felt like a stranger in his own home.

The worst part was, all of those thoughts, thoughts that he should've never had, came storming down on him barely a day into his stay in St Louis. Wallowing In the pits of his despair, he rushed and locked himself in his basement gym, relishing in the privacy that his sacred hiding place offered him. Sighing, he dropped his figure on the edge of his brand new metallic treadmill. He ran his palms over his face, cursing every bit of the nightmare he was living. Altogether, never should have he been hit with thoughts of this nature. Those same thoughts on their own knocked out a few of his wits and marbles. And yet, despite the amazing presence of his daughter, that he was grateful for, those thoughts were very much there and unavoidable. The burden in the household had filled him to that point that, ultimately, all that he felt was emptiness. Hollowness. Hopelessness.

As he realized that he couldn't take it anymore, one person sprang into mind. And, it didn't surprise him one bit when that person was Cody. Thinking of him was the single bright mental spot that he could delve into whenever he wanted. So, he remembered him. All of him. His face. His lips. His kiss. His calming touch. The sense of security that only he in this world could accommodate him with…

The vendetta he'd had with his wife was certainly taking a toll on Randy. All he could see were shadows and darkness. But he couldn't deny that the everlasting, heavy distance from Cody was helping him sink, as well.

He needed Cody. More than ever before. He really needed him.

He took his phone out of his pocket. He fiddled with it for a few moments before his fingers went to work. Soon enough, the digits to Cody's number were dialed and the call was picked up.

Randy didn't need an hour long conversation. Just hearing his confidant put him at ease. It transported him, if only momentarily, into another sphere that seemed so much more serene than the one he was living in. It was the softness in his voice, the knowingness, the concern laced with his words that put it all into perspective for him.

As they hung up, Randy was shot back in the anguish and torment the sullen mood of his domicile put him in. Just like that. In a heartbeat.

That was when it hit him. He had to run away. It was his one and only ticket back to sanity.

He got up and left the narrow space of his exercise room. Creaking his way up the stairs, he joined his wife in the living room. Clearing his throat to make his presence known, he spoke up.

"I just got a phone call. The schedule changed. I have to fly out tomorrow afternoon."

…

The next day, Randy had eagerly packed up all of his necessities. He was more than ready to go. He felt terrible for leaving behind his daughter and resorting to lies to get away. But what he wanted, no, needed to do was overriding him to the very core. He'd surrendered control to the millions of voice screaming inside his head. His truest desires had taken over. Never did Randy let his brain lose battles against sentiments. He was known to be cold, calculated and tactful. Emotions were for the weak, weren't they? But in this case, resistance was wholly futile and wasn't even a plausible factor. There was no turning back. And Randy didn't want to.

The ride to the airport bared more optimism than the last previous 48 hours conceivably could have. Anticipation was radiating from Randy, who had barely gotten a minute of sleep. The angst that ripped and bit at him had exhausted him. An antidote was the object of his yearning. He'd gone long enough without a safe spot to engulf him. And at that very moment, that's what he ached for.

He was lost. He needed guidance. He needed to be found.

Once he landed to his destination, he swiftly picked up his solitary duffle bag and headed towards the exit. Setting foot outside of the edifice, cool wind met his skin, sending shivers all over his body. Looking up, the darkness of the sky felt like a welcome home. The stars were shining bright.

The nighttime was upon Atlanta.

After taking in his surroundings, Randy didn't waste any time in hailing a cab. As luck would have it, one was just around the corner. Additionally, much to his relief, the driver wasn't much of a talker. Save for giving out the guidelines and address, Randy savored the silence in all of its integrality.

Randy's good memory came into play. He had been down this road quite often. He'd visited Cody on more than one occasion, and as he did, he had memorized the directions to his house by heart. On the plus side, Cody's place wasn't a lengthy drive away from the airport, a location strategically chosen by the second-generation superstar. In return, the chances of getting lost in the city were automatically diminished.

Due to the hazy lightening illuminating the roads, it took Randy a bit of time to recognize that he had made it to the neighborhood of his choice. As the taxi came to a halt, Randy paid the driver his due and trailed off with his luggage.

A short walk separated him from the house he had targeted. Once standing in front of the entryway garden of said house, Randy remained frozen to the spot. The tasteful, two-story residence was pitch-dark. No lights were seemingly turned on, planting doubts in Randy's head that maybe Cody wasn't home just yet. Therefore, to settle any and all uncertainties, Randy got on his phone and called him.

He didn't wait long before the line connected.

"Hey…," uttered an apparently tired Cody.

"Hey. How are you?" Randy caringly asked.

"Uh…," Cody intercepted with a yawn, "I'm tired. It's been a long day."

"You don't say… So, what are you doing?"

"Not much. I was just lying on the couch, watching The Dark Knight Rises for the millionth time. I completely lost track of time for a minute. Ugh, which reminds me, I should get up and turn on the lights cause it's way too dark in here…"

As he itched closer and closer towards the door, Randy smiled as he saw the table lamp besides the window get lit up. A deep breath was taken as he slowly made it to the doorsteps.

"Open the door, Cody."

"Huh?" A confused Cody replied.

"Open the door."

"And why would I do that?"

"I said just open it."

"Huh? What are you going on about, Randy? Are you okay? Are you drunk?"

"Just open the fucking door, Cody."

Completely perplexed by the situation he was in, Cody reluctantly moved towards the door, lowering his phone just slightly. Hesitantly, he did as Randy requested. He opened the door. And the sight awaiting him on the other side of it just about robbed the breath right out of him. His mouth was left agape. He had to blink several times to truly drink in who had been waiting on him. His incredulity and skepticism of reality almost made him miss the question that hit the air.

"Can I come in?"

…


	20. Chapter 20

_I hope you haven't forgotten about this story...if you haven't, then I'm sincerely so sorry for taking this long to update. I'd never intended to go that long without writing. But life can be a bitch sometimes, as you may already know. Anyway, I hope this 20th chapter does make up for the lost time. I hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think with a review!_

* * *

Cody was fortunate that some parts of his brain and some depths of his consciousness were still active seeing as most of them were rendered numb. Robotically sidestepping to clear out the entryway, Cody's eyes were trained to the floor, looking like they were about to pop up out of his skull. The mere shock had frozen him. Just a minute before, he'd been spending a mundane evening on the couch, jadedly watching his favorite movie for the umpteenth time, his mind half there, half elsewhere. But a split, huge, drastic change of events later, the man who'd consumed the majority of his brain, thoughts, fantasies and visions was there. In front of him. In the flesh. He was there. Without the slightest or subtlest of warnings. Was this yet another one of his dreams? Had he passed out on the couch yet again? Was this even real?

His state of utter surprise and confusion only went through the roof when he felt soft, familiar lips attacking his own. For a few instants, his orbs remained glued to its sockets, threatening to abandon them at any given second. Eventually, the deep sensation emanating from Randy's powerful kiss became overwhelming and engulfed him wholly. As his eyes came to a close, his body couldn't help but respond, as though it was naturally programmed to. The concept of consciousness being taken out of the equation, Cody's figure melted against Randy's. Both of his hands grasped the older man's neck while his lips started to move wildly against his'. The kiss was dominated by the hunger and thirst for one another, a lust so intense that'd been eating at their insides for far too long.

"God, I've missed this…" Randy whispered against the plump lips he was kissing.

Cody's mind was beyond reeling as Randy's tongue sneaked its way inside his mouth. Despite getting increasingly lightweight, the incredulous nature of the entire ordeal couldn't help but hit Cody.

Tightly squinting, he pulled away from the sensual assault, desperately trying to wrap his mind around the reality of it all. "Randy…" He panted, scrunching handfuls of Randy's shirt, looking deep into his eyes. "What are you doing here?"

Those words inevitably put a stop to Randy's tracks, as he backed away, Cody finding himself holding thin air in his hands. Hesitation and a certain coldness flooded him. This wasn't the welcome he quite expected…

"I…I…" He deadpanned in response.

"Yeah…?"

"I …I wasn't feeling okay and I, I just wanted to get away, that's all…"

"Did, uh…did she kick you out?"

"No. No, she didn't."

In between the bafflement and lingering shock, Cody was still able to detect Randy's discomfort and unease. It was clear that he didn't want to disclose his reasons and for that, neither did he want to push him nor press the issue.

"Okay…" Trailing off, he headed for the couch, leaving Randy dead in his spot.

Discomposure couldn't begin to describe Randy's state. He knew that barging in on Cody without notice would surprise him, big time. But the younger man's completely flabbergasted state was positively unsettling, leaving him to wonder if it possibly held…anger? Resentment? He was at a complete loss of everything. He didn't know how to decide on a next move. A million thoughts traced his brain in a split second. At one point, he seriously considered leaving and getting himself a hotel room, maybe calling the airline and fly in early for the show…

"Maybe I should-"

"You know where the guest room is, right?" Cody's feeble voice asked.

"Yeah. But maybe-"

"You should put down your bags there…make yourself more comfortable...and um…I'll be right there."

The truth was, Randy had nowhere else to go in this town. Not that he wanted another shelter, anyway. One may have called him imposing, perhaps overly clingy. But he couldn't deny that he desperately wanted to be there. More than anything, he wanted a pleading call to stay. One that he never got. He had to settle on Cody's frail and shaky words. Words that he held onto more desperately than he would've ever liked to admit.

"Okay…" And with that, Randy hastily carried his bag up familiar stairs, feeling beyond unwelcomed.

Cody stared at a pool of nothingness as he contemplated the succession of events that had just happened. Disbelief just wouldn't let him be. He rubbed his temples as he was on a quest for composure. As the minutes ticked away, his breaths evened out and his poise gradually made its welcome return. That was, until one thought encountered him. Randy. He cringed as he recalled the fragile twinkle in Randy's eyes as he stood at his door. The complete desperation that overtook the same man when he kissed him. The borderline frightened and flat out nervous look on his face when he pushed him away. His shock had made him utterly neglect Randy's stance in all of this. How did he feel? How did it feel to be in his position? He'd never seen Randy distraughtly leave his family before due time, not to mention having a reason that he didn't want to bring up… What was it like getting a cold and hostile shoulder from his sole refuge? That realization hit Cody like a thunderbolt. Swiftly, his feet were on the move.

His footsteps slowed down as he approached the guest room. The scene that awaited him could've only been described as somber. The room was dimly lit by the bedside lamp as a slumped down Randy was seated on the left edge of the bed, mindlessly fiddling his phone within his palms. He was so submerged by his troubles that he didn't even notice Cody's newly arrived presence. It was an acknowledging cough that shifted his eyes from the floor to the doorway.

He found Cody leaning against the knob, his face tilted to the side, his taut figure beautifully highlighted by the faint illumination. But even that gorgeous sight couldn't keep his head up long enough.

"Hey…" Cody started.

"Hey."

"How are you doing?"

"Okay…I'm okay."

Silence conquered the air before Cody broke it off.

"When do you leave?"

At that, Randy raised his eyes once more, only for a second. "The day after tomorrow."

"Oh, okay."

"You don't have to worry about anything, Cody. Tomorrow I'll be out of your way. I'll go book myself a room at a hotel or something. I don't wanna bother you. I don't wanna bother you one bit."

Randy's eyes bore a hole through the ground, hurt spreading all throughout his mind and soul. He raked his hands over his face before they were pulled away and cradled within another set of palms. His eyes lied upon a kneeling Cody who looked at him with care and concern shining bright in his pristine blue eyes.

"I don't want you to go. I don't want you to go at all." Emotionless quietness faced him. And thus, he continued. "I want you to be here so much. In fact, I've wanted you here every single day. It's all I wanted. And now that you're here…I mean, I just can't believe it. I just didn't-"

"Expect it?"

"Exactly." Cody cracked a lopsided smile at the very slight openness that Randy had shown. He didn't know just how much his words meant to Randy. Because, if only for a moment, they appeased him.

"I'm sorry I welcomed you this way."

"No…it's all on me. I was the one who didn't warn you."

Cody's face gently titled to the side, examining Randy's features that much more, his hands leaving the ones they were holding to touch the face he'd longed for.

"I've missed you…"

Cody felt a tremor emanating from Randy. That slender reaction made him smile. But yet he still saw them. He still saw the doubts dancing in Randy's grey pools of light.

Cody stood up, fixing his shirt. Randy's eyes followed his every movement. The younger man didn't waste in time in holding out his hand for him to take.

"Come with me…"

Randy stared right through Cody, pondering the invitation in his head for a few seconds. The uncertainties and reservations still bothered him. But they weren't enough to hold him back from being pulled away by everything the voices inside his head wanted. Tentatively, his fingers made their way to the alluring hand, as Cody lulled them away to the confines of his own, warm room.

…

The night held a waterfall of conflicting emotions. Randy couldn't shake off this feeling of being unwanted, despite Cody's best attempts at proving him wrong. The younger man had immediately led them to his plush bed where he laid them down. He could feel the rigidity radiating off of the taller figure. And yet, somehow, he picked up on the cracks within that stiffness, one that seemed to dispel with every passing minute. It was a reaction that Randy's free will couldn't have controlled if it'd tried to. Every fiber of desire within him yearned and reached out for Cody's leaning touch. It was instinctive, ingrained in his system. And so, he simply relaxed against the broad chest of Cody's, falling into a peaceful abyss.

The next morning, the confliction subdued. After the most intimate slumber they'd shared to date, Randy felt, if only a little bit, more at ease. More undisturbed. He woke up in an empty bed to which he raised an eyebrow. Clad in grey sweatpants and a simple white V-neck, he made his way downstairs, being greeted by an array of aromas. The raised eyebrow he had on his face quirked even more as he saw a frustrated Cody running all over the kitchen, batter in hands. His footsteps caught Cody's attention though, as he turned around to briefly face him.

"Oh, you're up."

"Um…yeah."

"Just making us some pancakes. Thought we could need some before heading out. Have a seat. I'll be right with you."

It wasn't the first time Cody had fixed them breakfast. It was only natural and bound to have happened given the years spent on the road. However, there was something about Cody cooking them a meal at his place that made the entire experience much more personal and cherished. To some extent, the scene amused Randy who carefully and thoroughly observed the younger man. It was different.

Fortunately for him, he didn't have to wait too long to eat. Cody quickly settled everything on the kitchen table and both dug in. Both men's dynamic wasn't completely back to normal. Randy was still apprehensive, almost walking on eggshells. That said, the atmosphere was far lighter than it was the night before. Soon enough, conversation commenced. Small talk about any and every thing began. Everything except why Randy had precisely left his family to come to Cody. Both knew it was a subject that wasn't meant to be touched upon. Yet.

Eventually, breakfast was wrapped up. Cody and Randy decided to head to the gym. Randy needed to work out but most importantly, Cody had to train his shoulder and get it back into the swing of things.

Since the gym was a few blocks away from Cody's house, walking the distance was the more plausible choice. It was also a good opportunity for Cody to play tour guide, showing around his neighborhood and various streets of Atlanta. Despite the chilly November weather, both men gladly strolled around with caps on. An invasion of their privacies was the last thing on their lists.

Once there, they dropped their equipment bags in the facility's locker room before getting down to business. The two men followed a similar routine: lifting weights intertwined with short doses of cardio. Randy, who had more of a margin to lack concentration managed to eye Cody up every once in a while, gazing at the way his muscles moved underneath his shirt. After a certain amount of time, Cody and Randy found themselves standing face to face while working on some squats. All was going soundly until Cody chose to add more weight. The decision seemed quite questionable to Randy who sent Cody a quizzical look.

"You sure about this?"

"Yup." Cody answered, continuing the task of loading up his bar.

"Aren't you pushing yourself a bit too far?"

"No. Gotta get back to what I used to lift."

Cody's answers still didn't convince or persuade Randy. But the older man knew better than to obstruct him. He'd let Cody test it out for himself.

But, as he feared, Cody found some difficulty in even raising the metal set. After several attempts, he managed to lift it just above his shoulders. Veins popped out of his neck, while his face was attacked by a redness that suggested a mountain of pain, struggle and exertion. Right then, Randy knew he had to step up and interfere. He dropped his own bar and approached Cody, fully intending on taking his' away.

"No. Stay away." Cody winced out.

Randy was stopped in his tracks but still maintained the small distance. He was forced to watch his injured companion trying and failing at pushing himself to the limit. He realized Cody's grasp and posture was wrong. But the shortest of steps earned him a blazing glare.

Suddenly, with a grunted "fuck it", Cody dropped his weights and stormed right out of the main area of the gym, rushing past Randy who was left immobile.

He got it. It was Cody's first real injury. Plus, the fact that the targeted area was his shoulder, and Randy completely understood where his frustration came from. His own history of shoulder tears was well-documented. Regardless of the degree, shoulder damage is scary and worrying. He also knew that Cody's personality didn't help. No matter how much work he put in, no matter how much clear progress he'd made, his insecurities were always lingering around, waiting to swarm him at any given opportunity.

Randy gave him some space. He knew approaching Cody right away wasn't the right call. He needed to cool down. Otherwise, he'd shut him out and snap on him, even if he didn't mean to. It was only several minutes later that he went on the hunt for him. He figured he was in the locker room. His intuition had been correct.

He walked in to find Cody sitting on the wooden bench in the center of the empty room, an emptiness which he appreciated. He stood in the doorway until Cody raised his eyes and noticed him. He neared him and sat by his side, pressing his tattooed forearms onto his thighs for support. Both men sat in silence, staring right ahead. The older man decided to not open his mouth until it felt right to. Ultimately, Randy turned his head to Cody, fixating him with his eyes, wordlessly forcing him to look back at him. Both pairs of orbs were glued onto one another for a few seconds before Randy uttered a simple command that Cody couldn't have refuted. "I'm gonna show you that you can do it. Come on. Please."

With that, Randy stood up, implicitly inviting Cody to do the same. It didn't take much persuasion to get him to comply. As much as he was hurting, both physically and mentally, Cody wanted to prove to himself that this was a hurdle he was going to be able to overcome. He knew he was overkilling it with his training. But that was always the way it's been. And it shouldn't have differed if he were injured or not. He knew he wasn't exactly being reasonable. But he didn't care.

And so, the two superstars returned to the fateful gym area they'd been standing in minutes prior. Randy wasn't bent on focusing on himself. Instead, he walked to Cody's section, stood by his side, picked up the bar he'd angrily disposed of, and placed it in his hands. He upheld his palms on Cody's knuckles, and, despite finding it difficult to, he ignored the light shudder that emanated from the smaller man. Focusing on the task at hand, he spoke lowly, at a volume only Cody could've heard, practically voicing his haunting distresses.

"It's not that you're too weak…you just weren't holding it well or standing correctly…" Ever so discretely, he gently stirred his hands and nudged his knees apart, just to help him gain more balance and strength. After his adjustments, Randy stepped back and took a look at his former protégé whose eyes gleamed with intensity.

"Now try."

He did try. He pushed himself to the edge. It was excruciatingly difficult. But he gave it everything he had, just like he'd accustomed himself to all these years. He kept eye contact with Randy, whose focus was completely settled on him. And he did it. He succeeded in fully carrying up and down the hectic set of weights. His accomplishment got a nod of approval from his companion, as well as a swelling sense of self-pride inside him, despite the lack of smile on his face. Getting back on track never seemed so asserted, so confirmed in head as it did in that very moment. And there was only one man to accredit for this.

Ultimately, after finishing up their training, Cody and Randy hit the showers and cleaned off quickly. They gathered up their belongings in their respective bags and didn't waste much time in leaving the building.

No verbal exchange occurred between the two. As a matter of fact, Cody barely spat two sentences since he threw a tantrum and copped out. Save for his agreement to eat out for lunch, he didn't know what to say, or where to start. So, he just stayed silent, in his own secluded mental corner. Even as they wandered down the streets, Randy could only mindlessly go through the motions, relying on Cody to take them to whichever diner they'd eat at.

He understood why Cody kept quiet. But the ice needed to be broken.

"You did good today. You really did."

Upon hearing the deep voice, Cody peeked through his black cap to see grey eyes seemingly raking him. A loss for words still hung over him, though. All he was able to do was stare back for a few seconds before tilting back his head again. Randy resorted to a lot of will power to stop himself from shaking his head. His understanding knew limits and he hated moments like these. Moments where Cody dealt with his issues solitarily and shut him out in the process. Unable to stand this, Randy simply looked away, a sigh leaving him. He kept going like this until five tentative fingers crept up his right hand, trifling with his own, intertwining them entirely. He gazed at their hands for a few instants before looking up at the man striding next to him. Cody's head didn't budge as he let it hang low underneath his cap. That was, until he felt heavy eyes watching him, those same, auspicious eyes that drew his' right in. As both pairs of irises locked up, Cody tightened his grip on Randy's hand, firmly squeezing it, as he conveyed everything his tongue failed him at. It was simply his way of thanking him, of showing him his appreciation for withstanding his moments of weakness. For helping him through an obstacle his lack of confidence would've never allowed him to overcome. And Randy knew that perfectly. Moments like these proved to the both of them that words aren't always needed. Sometimes, the smallest of actions held the biggest of meanings.

This whole mental conversation ended as quickly as it started. Cody turned his head once more, facing ahead the sea of people the both of them had now blended in, slowly and gradually separating both hands, leaving in his wake a slight but genuine smile to brighten Randy's face, as they approached their destination…

...

That simple, little gesture ended up serving as a gateway for Randy to normalize and smooth down everything. The reversals in closing down finally came to a halt. Soon enough, when they sat down in a conveniently private booth at their chosen diner, discussion and banter resumed. Cody cracked open and progressively got them back to their usual rhythm. They joked and endlessly went back and forth, the stories they had to share seeming to go on and on. Add to that mixture some delicious food and drinks, and they were truly having a great time.

The sun had just finished fading into faintness once the two superstars got out. The sky had taken a beautiful shade of murky blue, accentuated by a few orange, pink rays and looming dark clouds. The once crowded streets had now cleared out, trespassed by cold winds. It was a beautiful evening in which both men were charmed by. Unhurriedly, they roved their way back to Cody's place, half conversing, half in comfortable silence. When they arrived, nightfall had been well upon them. The pathway to the door was lightless, dissolving Cody and Randy into an obscurity that didn't suppress the laughter they'd been sharing moments prior. Cody was used to the drill. He fished out his keychain from his jacket all the while feeling a hand unexpectedly roam up and down his back. He grinned into the darkness and managed to unlock the door. The grin still plastered on his face, he entered the house and swiftly turned on the lights. Randy let himself right in and locked the door behind him. Before he realized what was going on, he found his mouth being covered by Cody's, melting in a forceful but tender kiss. Lips powerfully latched onto one another, moving vigorously together. Just as Randy titled his head to deepen the kiss, Cody pulled away with a mischievous smirk, playfulness swaying in his eyes.

"I'm gonna go get us something to drink. You just wait right here, yeah?"

Still smiling, he looked over his shoulder as he walked away, watching Randy jokingly frown at him. He reemerged with two glasses juggled in between his fingers and a bottle of whiskey in the other hand. He motioned with his head for Randy to follow him.

They paced across the living room to reach a wooden planked door. With his knee, Cody pushed it open and was promptly helped out by Randy who held it. It wasn't the first time Randy had been shown that part of the house, but it seemed more fascinating in the cold night. It was a beautiful outdoor, backyard patio. Decorated with marble couches, lavish red pillows, and warm-hued lights, it was perfectly homely, plain out relaxing. They sat adjacently next to one another. With a flick of a leg, they'd immediately touch. After pouring some liquor in both glasses, both rested comfortably against the cushions. In between gulps of the burning booze, they briefly chatted about the patio and how it came about before falling into serene quietness. Randy took out a cigarette and lit it, leisurely smoking it.

"Give me a puff."

Randy's eyes cracked wide open. "What?! I thought you quit!"

"Oh, I did. But a puff won't matter, now will it?"

"Guess not but…" Randy replied, hesitantly handing out his smoke.

Cody examined it for a second, rolling it between his fingers before bringing it to his lips. The force of habit had died, though. As soon as he inhaled, fitful coughs broke out of him, which entertained Randy to no end.

"Man… This is shit!" Cody exclaimed, fanning out the air with his free hand, earning some snickers from Randy. However, instead of returning it, Cody raised the cigarette again and drew it in, choking violently once more.

"Well stop wasting the smoke, you fucker!"

In between the coughs, Cody still had it in him to laugh.

"Seriously…how do you still smoke that shit? It's so unhealthy." Cody said when enough air had replenished his lungs.

"I'd say your obsession with Zelda is unhealthy too…but you don't hear me complaining."

"Hey, I'm warning you. You leave Zelda out of this."

Both men fell into soft laughter before drifting away into peaceful silence, again. The minutes passed on but the thoughts in Cody's head didn't. The evening wasn't getting any younger and neither were the tormenting inquiries in his head. The same ones that had manifested themselves the second he'd laid eyes on Randy the night before. It was about time he found out…

"So, are you ever gonna tell me why you really came to Atlanta?"

Randy stiffened up directly, and evidently so to Cody. "Um…well, I told you last night. I wasn't feeling too well. Just had to get away. That's all."

Cody wasn't having it. "Come on, Randy. You and I both know there's more to the story."

Randy wasn't one to keep up with feelings all too well… "Cody… Just don't push it, man, alright?"

With a shake of the head, Cody's frustration and curiosity were hitting high rates. He eagerly placed his hands on Randy's thighs, squeezing them tightly. "Randy…I have the right to know… So, tell me. Just tell me. You can tell me anything. You know that." He pled with desperation.

Wiping his face with his palms, Randy grimaced. He wasn't good with these kinds of confessions, he really wasn't. "I just…I just wasn't okay. I mean, you can say I was losing it. I was losing it and…it wasn't just because of Sam…even though she is the biggest cause of my problems. And she still drives me fucking crazy…But…God…," he vented off with a sigh, "I was losing it because you weren't there, Cody. You weren't there and I...I didn't know what to do. It felt like I didn't have you anymore. It was killing me…and…and I…I needed to have you with me."

For a moment there, Cody was pretty certain the air had been robbed right out of him. He was swooning. His head was frozen in place. Without even noticing, Cody's right hand traveled from Randy's thighs up to his face, gently holding it in place.

"Hey… You have me, Randy. You have me. You've always had me…Always…"

His eyes were engrossed by the icy ones that were refusing to back down. Randy's stare was burning through him, blistering him on the spot. The mood had shifted. Entranced, they were, in a sensorial sphere they'd grown to be sucked into. A sphere they'd stopped themselves from fully delving into. But for some reason, they were plunging in it. They were plunging quickly…

The finger that'd been stroking Randy's cheekbone slowly slid down his face, arriving at the corner of his mouth. Cody's eyes shifted between Randy's eyes and lips, as he watched his thumb brush them ever so breezily. His eyes moved back to Randy's. They'd never left him. But they'd taken a subtly darker shade… Would they finally, after all this time allow themselves to completely sink into that enchanting sphere of theirs?

Cody was magnetized, completely enraptured. He surrendered. He leant forward, replacing his caressing thumb on Randy's mouth with his lips. Softly, he nibbled on his bottom lips with the gentlest of pecks and nips, earning shudder after shudder from the older man. Wanting to feel more, he pressed the entirety of his lips onto Randy's, encircling them wholly. They moved together, sealed as one. Randy's hands snaked up his shoulder, grabbing the nape of his neck, draping it back just slightly to deepen the kiss. He poured all his sensuality into leniently running his tongue past Cody's seam, inviting himself into a warm cave that'd been awaiting him for far too long. Tongues reunited, massaging each other, slowly at first, dancing carelessly to the ballad of their accord. The heat eluding the two couldn't stop its rise, and while the rhythm was anything but frantic, the need for more was. It was overwhelming, uncontrollable…

Their kiss never faltered. Lips still remained tangled. Gasps multiplied. Contact became more abundant, while touches became adamant. In an instinctive quest for more, Randy's hands journeyed down Cody's sides, reached the hem of his shirt and languidly glided underneath its surface, splaying across the expanse of the soft, firm skin. An audible moan escaped Cody's mouth, causing him to break the kiss. He pulled back, panting, lips a deep red from the swelling. His hands were now clutching, utterly clasping the ones underneath his shirt. He desperately searched Randy's eyes. Eyes that were preying on him. Eyes that screamed urgency…

He retrieved their hands back into the nightly air. He didn't let go of their hold. Disoriented from the absolute intensity, he stood up, beckoning Randy, who instantly went along. They faced off, just looking at each other for a while. No words were needed. At the end of the day, they never were.

Cody hauled them to the door, then inside the house. Not once did he look back as he walked them through the living area or up the stairs. With every step he took, he focused on the frenzied beats of his heart that echoed in his ears and drummed through his blood. He was certain it'd pop right out of his chest…

Once they'd gotten to the room, he finally let go of Randy's hands, straightly setting on lighting the bedside lamp. It was only when he turned around that he found the courage to look at Randy again. Smolder sizzled right out of their gaze, a million invisible sparks going off, as the distance between the two was extinguished. Without a word, Randy grasped Cody's shirt, toying with the fabric before pulling it over his head. Their hypnotized eyes never seized to watch each other. Tentatively, Cody's fingers mindlessly made their way to Randy's V-neck, scrunching it, twisting it in his fist and discharging it. They were completely absorbed, and, before they knew it, their boxers were the only pieces covering them.

In many ways, this was their first time. Their first time together. Their first time being with a man. But above all, it was the first time that being with someone meant so much. Felt this intense.

Randy stepped forward, letting his hands roam over Cody's chest, tracing circles with the very tip of his fingers. Purely transported by his desires, his lips met Cody's in the slowest of embraces. Small touches along his spine spun Randy's mind into endless loops. Lost in his embrace, Cody didn't realize that Randy was moving them backwards until his knees collided with the edge of the bed, falling on it. But even as he remained on his feet, Randy never detached his mouth from the heated, interminable kiss. Cody's arms came up to wrap around Randy's neck, wanting, needing him nearer. Randy placed his hands by either side of Cody, and slowly, he backed them to the top of the bed. The kiss was ruptured once Cody's head rested on the soft, vanilla-colored pillows. Cody observed mesmerized as Randy hovered over him, a dark, sculptured shadow he could've only envisioned in his most treasured of dreams.

A black lust had completely possessed Randy's eyes. Cody's were so overridden by the sheer magnitude of what was taking place. They couldn't remain open as Randy's face lowered to once again mash their lips together in a searing kiss that could've only been infused with a deadly dose of poisonous passion. It wasn't enough for Randy, though. He wasn't sufficed. His tongue left a trail from Cody's lips, jaw all the way to his neck which he kissed, pinched and soothed with swooshes of hot breath. Raspy sounds spilled from Cody's mouth. He crumpled the skin-toned sheets with one hand and held the back of Randy's skull with the other. A particularly loud whine left his throat as Randy bit hard on his collarbone. His head involuntarily jumped, burying itself in the crook of Randy's own neck. The skin there tempted him. It was drawing him. He dared to taste it, picking up tiny beads of sweat that had formed with his tongue. He was sure he heard Randy's breathing hitch. Cody retrieved from the safe haven of his neck to find Randy ready to pounce on his lips. They couldn't go long enough without one of their dazing kisses. It seemed like their bodies wouldn't have it.

It was only when the need for air was overbearing that Randy let go. He kissed a straight line going down his Adam's apple and chest. His touch lingered there. His tongue felt the impulsive compulsion to probe Cody's nipples, taking its time splurging them, licking and sucking each one while his thumb worked tender circles on the other, damn near driving Cody out of his mind. Cody's eyes were screwed shut while his teeth chewed on his plump lips, trying so very hard to stay grounded. It was futile, though. Whereas his defined abdomen was being worshipped by hands and mouth, Cody was trapped in another world where only he and Randy existed. Randy continued his ride down, finding himself face-to-face with the most beautiful hip dents he'd ever laid eyes on. Needing to feel them, he outlined them with his two thumbs, back and forth, before focusing on Cody's solid right dip. Randy bit into the hipbone, netting a big hiss out of Cody, a reaction which only urged him on. Little by little, he kissed his way down the chiseled curve of muscle, marking it as his own. The lower he went, the more Cody arched into his touch. By the time Randy reached his groin, the small of Cody's back had been entirely lifted off of the mattress. The edge of Cody's boxers was encased within Randy's teeth. The realization caused him to snap his eyes open to examine the scene. His covered hard-on was tapping against Randy's shoulder while Randy gawped at him with the eyes of a yearning predator. It sent him reeling, yet turned him on beyond belief. He needed this. They needed this. They needed this so much…

"Are you sure about this?" Cody whispered with a breathless voice. The very last bell of wisdom chimed in. Cody wanted confirmation. Cody needed confirmation. He had to make sure. There would be no turning back after this…

Randy scrambled his way above Cody, his face right above his', both sets of eyes gunning through the other. Cody could've sworn he felt his soul being sucked right out of him…

"More than anything…" Randy claimed his lips in a fiery assault of mouths and, in one swift move, swiped off Cody's briefs.

Randy stepped back, straddling Cody's hips. He never had the opportunity to see Cody this bare. Here he was, completely exposed underneath him, all for him. The sight was breathtaking, a sight meant to be devoured. Randy grinded his hips against Cody's. The delicious friction lead to both cocks throbbing against one another through the thin fabric of Randy's briefs. The near contact sent sets of vibrations running through both bodies. The craving became insatiable...

"Randy, please…" Cody was pleading, borderline begging at this point. His stomach was churning. Anticipation and nervousness were eating at him. Reading him like an open book, Randy ceased his movements. He would give them what they both lusted after. He rose on his knees to get himself out of his boxers, finding Cody's hands right there to help him out. His length sprung up as soon as it'd been out of its confines. Cody's eyes were transfixed on the body across him. It was perfect. Absolutely perfect.

Randy returned to his original spot, sitting across Cody's hips. This time, both burning groins liberally touched. The feeling was unlike anything they'd ever experienced before. Both froze their motions, needing just a second to take in the sensation before carrying on. The fear of not lasting long simultaneously crossed their minds. Knowing they'd both be finished quickly if they were to continue, a panting Randy stopped, feeling the need to catch his breath. He looked back up at Cody who met his gaze with big, dark blue orbs. Directly, he leaned closer, and put his fingers forward, placing them right between lips. Knowing exactly what was being asked of him, Cody held Randy's fingers with his', taking in the tip of each one successively. He licked each one from top to bottom, lathering them up with saliva, swirling his tongue around their perimeter to slick them up perfectly. The erotic visual lit even more fires within Randy, whose tongue inadvertently came out to wet his lips. Unable to withstand any more of it, Randy drew away. This was it…

Approaching his lips to brush against Cody's ear shell, Randy murmured to him. "I'm gonna need you to breathe…"

Without further warning, Randy pressed one finger inside Cody's hole. Randy could already tell just how tight it'd be. The ring of nerves was beyond compressing. Cody was squirming. The sensation was utterly unprecedented. It was completely new. Pain and pleasure went so hand-in-hand that he had a difficult time distinguishing them. Randy's words completely passed him over. His breathing had turned erratic. Upon noticing it, Randy concentrated on the sensitive spot behind Cody's ear, showering it with smooches, caresses and pinches, all in an effort to distract him from any possible pain.

"Breathe… Breathe… Just breathe…"

The diversion seemingly worked. Randy felt the younger man's figure relax just a bit, signaling a green light to apply a second finger. Cody seemed to adjust to the second intrusion much better, tensing up less. Flickers started going off within Cody, as waves of pleasure spread through him. Moans and expletives rolled off his tongue. The bliss had washed over him so greatly that he didn't notice the insertion of a third damp finger. Randy was hell-bent on preparing Cody the best possible way, scissoring his fingers, twirling them expertly around the bundle of nerves. It was a slight shift in angles that sent shockwaves all throughout Cody. His eyes saw black and for a second, he didn't know where he'd landed. The intensity of the rapture he'd felt sent him spiraling out of control. Randy knew he'd found Cody's spot. He thrust his three fingers in and out, nailing that same spot over and over. Randy was stopped by short nails clawing at his back, imploring his attention.

"Randy… I'm not… I'm not gonna… I won't…" The warm, familiar feeling in Cody's stomach was boiling up, threatening to completely shatter. Cody was on the verge of coming undone...

"Where is it?" Knowing what Randy was alluding to, Cody nodded his head to the left. Randy stretched himself forward, opening the bedside drawer Cody directed him to. He found the object of his desire right away.

Extracting the bottle of lube, he poured a good amount in the palm of his hand. He used it to cover up his length, the mixture of the cold liquid and pre-cum creating the proper slickness. All the while, Cody watched with wide eyes. The foreboding of what was about to occur was unnerving him to the edge. His eyes remained glued to Randy's. They were the only anchors of security he could've hold onto.

Still watching each other, Randy glided down Cody's body. His hand slipped along his left thigh, curling it and resting it on his back. Granted better access, Randy guided himself to Cody's hole. Feeling the tip of his girth at his entrance, Cody's lips began to tremble involuntarily. Tremors sputtered out of his body. The nerves sizzled. Randy saw and felt them. He couldn't let Cody go on like this…

"Hey… It's me, Cody… I'm not gonna hurt you. It's just me."

He screwed his eyes shut and bit his lip, unable to bring himself to look at Cody right then. In one go, he buried all nine inches of himself to the hilt. He stayed static for a few moments, trying to take in Cody's unbelievable tightness. It was encompassing him to the fullest, closing in on him like a vice grip, knocking the breath right out of him. Several inhales later, he finally looked at Cody. His face was flush, hot tears stinging watery eyes that couldn't stop blinking.

"Are you okay?"

Cody nodded frantically, who was diligently trying to breathe. The aching was unmistakable. But as the seconds passed, he asserted to himself that he could take it. He knew he would. He wanted to.

Randy's hands commenced a slow journey, starting from Cody's hips, all the way up his waist, sensually tracing the sides of his arms, pulling them up. He locked them straight over his head, tightly lacing their fingers together. Randy's head was mere inches above Cody's. Their bodies were flush against each other. Heated twinkles in Cody's irises set Randy loose. Almost pulling out entirely, he waited mere moments before thrusting back in…

They say there comes a time in your life when you meet one person who will change it. Turn it upside down. One person who will get you to understand just why you exist. Someone who will make you feel alive. Feel whole. Feel complete. And as Randy lunged into him, Cody was finally figuring it out. Each push was slow. Each one became more powerful than the one before. Each one held more intensity, more meaning than the one before. With each one, Randy was stealing a part of Cody, claiming him in a way that'd craze him forever. Possessive grunts and euphoric whimpers decoded so much more than words could've possibly expressed. The way Randy was nuzzling his way across his body. The way Randy's fingers refused to abandon his'. The way his musky scent penetrated his every pore. The way his every thrust landed home. It sent him reeling off to a deep end of happiness and pure elation, ones that he'd never known to be possible, yet ones where he finally felt like he belonged. And it was all too much for him to handle…

Randy stabbed his spot with even more force and renewed vigor, becoming borderline relentless.

"Randy… I can't… I'm gonna…"

He was cut off by the most mind-blowing kiss he'd ever known to experience, the kind of kiss you'd engrave in your memory. And as he dug his ankles in the bottom of Randy's spine, it was one smile he felt against his lips that pulled the trigger…

Endless ripples of the most devastating, toe-curling, earthshaking orgasm he'd experienced in his life crushed Cody. Streams of his essence spilled in between his' and Randy's abdomens, pushing the tattooed man right off the edge with him. Randy collapsed onto him as his seed filled Cody to the brim.

It was during moments like these that Cody got it. That he understood. That he felt what it was like to be complete.

And as he entered a profound blackout, he was pretty confident he'd heard Randy repeat the same word against his lips.

"Mine."

…


End file.
